As the number of publicly funded early childhood education (ECE) programs increases, policymakers will need empirical evidence to justify the taxpayer investment. Such justification will require a stronger understanding of the essential components of an ECE program's design, as well as solid evidence on which components, or constellations of…

This report is designed to help policymakers, parents, reporters, and foundation officials better understand what has been learned about voucher programs and why some key questions remain unsettled. It is based on an analysis of voucher programs in Milwaukee, Cleveland, and Florida State. Four basic questions are addressed: (1) What do we know…

This report constitutes proceedings of a seminar held in Portland, Oregon (September 1983), by representatives of 15 state education agencies, conceived as a forum for exploring state-level policy and program options. Four topical areas were the subject of speaker presentations: "The Effective Schooling Research Base," by Ronald M. Smith…

This, the first biennial report to Congress by the Director, as required under The Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA), describes three goals that have guided the work of the Institute and provides an overview of progress through the end of 2004. It describes the major projects carried out within each center of the Institute over the past two…

American taxpayers are currently investing more than $160 billion annually in public elementary and secondary education. Concerned citizens continue to ask: For what purposes is the money being used, and is it accomplishing its purposes? This seven-chapter study addresses these concerns and provides factual answers to related questions about the…

A study examined state-administered vocational education program improvement projects funded in fiscal year (FY) 1985 under subpart 3, sections 131 (research), 132 (exemplary and innovative), and 133 (curriculum development) of the Education Amendments of 1976 (P.L. 94-482). It was determined that more funds are being obligated for supportive…

The Worker Profiling and Reemployment Services (WPRS) program requires states to establish systems for identifying Unemployment Insurance (UI) claimants likely to exhaust their UI benefits and refers them to reemployment services. An evaluation was conducted to assess the reliability of the impact estimates provided in the evaluation of the WPRS…

The National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) was commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) to conduct a study of primary, secondary and special maintained schools in England to assess the use of data in teaching and learning. The study sought to identify how data is used to promote learning in primary, middle,…

Designed for youth programs, funders, policymakers, and researchers, this workbook is a tool and a resource on effective practices for youth employment and development. It is a product of the Promising and Effective Practices Network (PEPNet), which offers a knowledge base of effective strategies and approaches, opportunities for professional…

Outcomes of guidance can be assessed at these three levels: individual, where they are immediate; organizational, where they are intermediate; or societal, where they are ultimate. They may result in learning outcomes, school effectiveness, economic benefits, or social benefits. Various designs of outcome evaluation are described and…

The public sector in Finland faces tasks and challenges in promoting science, technology, and innovations in conditions of global change. Sustainable economic, social, and cultural development will continue to demand comprehensive development of the innovation system based on solid cooperation between the public and private sectors in the country.…

The federal policy shift from skills training and toward work first strategies has come about, in part, from a misconception that "training does not work." A more comprehensive look at existing research reveals the documented effectiveness of skills training. A growing number of studies have shown skills training can increase earnings;…

This audit report assesses the propriety and economy of space leasing practices of the State University of New York at Stony Brook (SUNY-SB) for the period July 1, 1994 through December 31, 1996, specifically those related to a health center that includes five professional schools, a 536-bed teaching hospital, and a 350-bed veterans' home. Some of…