An approach for tracking a mobile group of 1,045 junior high school transfers and minimizing attrition in a longitudinal study of adolescent behavior was studied. Students were tracked through the home or directly through the new school. The new school strategy was very effective and greatly improved tracking. (SLD)

Discusses ethical issues surrounding passive and active parental consent procedures when minors are to be asked sensitive research questions, exploring parental rights and the effect of active consent procedures on response rates and sample bias. Response rates are reported from two studies in which active consent procedures were implemented. (SLD)

The focus groups technique is described, giving details about the methodology. As a practical application, a study of teacher perspectives toward reform in the Spanish educational system is presented. Issues of group size, the moderator's role, and drawing conclusions from group responses are discussed. (SLD)

The relationships among grade, substance assessed, and type of measurement and statistical analysis used in the detection of external validity threats resulting from subject attrition in a modal follow-up study were examined in 6 successive 2-year panels of adolescents, including 4,819 overall stayers and 1,897 dropouts. (SLD)

Meta-analysis of Title I program evaluations shows the norm-referenced model overestimates positive effectiveness; while the regression-discontinuity design underestimates it. Potential biases include residual regression artifacts, attrition and time-of-testing problems in the norm-referenced design, and assignment, measurement, and data…

The outcome evaluation of a Drug-Free Schools and Community Program using a case-study design and pattern-matching logic in elementary schools and high schools is described, including the use of a panel survey and qualitative interviews. The elementary school case matched predicted outcome, but the high school case did not. (SLD)

Collected substance use survey data from 69 of 105 targeted school districts in 12 states. Results indicate that the availability and quality of extant data currently limit their usefulness. Recommendations are made to assisting schools to improve the value of their substance use surveys. (SLD)

Describes procedures that can be used to summarize the effect of schools when interactions between school practice and student background exist. Applies these procedures to a fairly realistic school effects dataset. Highlights the importance of considering differential school effectiveness rather than using a single quantitative indicator. (SLD)

Three perspectives on combining quantitative and qualitative methods in one evaluation are reviewed: mutually exclusive; separate but equal; and integrated. Ways to corroborate, elaborate, or initiate findings from the other method are illustrated, using a large-scale, three-year evaluation of regional educational service agencies. (Author/GDC)

Describes a method for coding themes directly from audiotapes without transcription and issues and methods by which reliability can be established. A study of concerns of professionals being trained on 11 school-based support teams coded by 2 raters and based on 19 hours of audiotaped interviews illustrates the method. (SLD)

A method is presented to use school-level attributes in sample description and random assignment of schools to conditions in drug prevention programs. Utility of archival data was examined using multivariate canonical techniques, and it was found that a small set of data could predict observed variations in drug use. (SLD)

A methodology is developed for producing a well-designed problem in policy analysis. This evaluative context methodology is defined as an iterative process based on a series of checklist questions. Use of the methodology is demonstrated in a policy development project in New Zealand devoted to encouraging use of the Maori language. (SLD)

The impact of a 19-year-old leadership training program on participants was studied through qualitative and quantitative measures. Data from 234 participants show that they perceived that their knowledge and skills increased and that their attitudes changed as a result of the training workshop. Implications for organizational training programs are…

Use of performance gaps analysis in program evaluation is examined by analyzing and critiquing the gap reduction design as an experimental design and an analytic tool in program outcome evaluation. The example of the Bilingual Education Evaluation System illustrates the contention that disadvantages of the method outweigh its contributions. (SLD)