Why do we continue to see evidence that nonprofit staff feel like outcome measurement is missing important aspects of their work? Based on an analysis of over 1,000 pages of material in 10 outcome measurement guides and a focused literature review of frontline work in three types of nonprofit organizations, this article shows that existing outcome…

The idea behind public charter schools was to develop flexible models of public schools and to incubate innovative ideas that then could be shared with the district's public schools. Today, almost 20 years since the first public charter school opened its doors in Minnesota, one still does not see consistent, productive collaboration and shared…

To ensure the best possible outcomes for young children with and without disabilities, early childhood educators must enter the classroom ready to conduct all types of early childhood assessment--including determining if children need additional services, planning and monitoring instruction, and determining program effectiveness. They'll get the…

In 1996, United Way of America (UWA) developed and began disseminating the most widely used approach to program outcome measurement in the nonprofit sector. Today an estimated 450 local United Ways encourage approximately 19,000 local agencies they fund to measure outcomes. The authors first describe and then assess the strengths and limitations…

This guide begins with background information useful to understanding Illinois' framework for implementation and evaluation of Programs of Study. It starts with a visual depiction of the relationships between activity at the federal, state and local levels that evolved to the creation of Illinois' Career Cluster Model. This Model, which is based…

To support K-12 students with significant disabilities and get an accurate picture of their skills and knowledge, schools need to implement effective alternate assessment based on alternate achievement standards (AA-AAS). This is the guidebook every team should have--not only to develop successful AA-AAS linked with grade-level content standards,…

In recognition of the need for guidance services to be accountable for their portion of the educational process, this guide was designed for the development of a competency-based, outcome-stated plan by each school district in Texas. The guide covers the five phases of the planning process and the counselor competencies required. The format is…

The Academic Program Review system at the State University Agricultural and Technical College at Delhi consists of two phases: preparation of a self-study report by specialized faculty providing instruction in the particular program, and review of the report and program operation by a visiting panel of experts in the field or academic discipline.…

This handbook was developed to assist vocational administrators in (1) developing strategies for goal-setting and resource allocation, (2) identifying potential problems, (3) analyzing cost-effectiveness of vocational programs, and (4) improving managerial skills using information from the analysis in the decision-making process. The handbook…

The purpose of this handbook is to provide local administrators with some basic guidelines which will enable them to conduct a needs assessment in their areas. The handbook contains a description of the model, sample forms, procedures, and techniques that a local administrator will need in order to conduct a needs assessment. It is divided into…

What difference are we making? How do we know? How can we show it? These questions about program performance are asked by adult literacy and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teachers, program administrators, and funders. This guide is designed to be used by local adult education programs to facilitate a systematic inquiry process…

The aim of this manual is to provide a useful tool for school personnel engaged in placement work and related activities in career education and guidance. Chapter l looks at job placement services, including the career resource centers and benefits to students. Chapter 2 outlines preliminary steps and needs in initiating a job placement program.…

This handbook provides P-16 council leaders with a toolkit of background information and proposed procedures for structuring and guiding implementation of Business-Higher Education Forum's (BHEF) proposed action plan. Specifically, it details a four-part nationwide action plan to improve overall pre-kindergarten through high school (P-12)…