This guide, which is intended for volunteer literacy programs in Alberta, Canada, details a four-step process for evaluating volunteer literacy programs and using evaluation results for program development. The guide begins with an introduction, underlying principles and assumptions, and a glossary. Sections 1-4 detail the steps of the process,…

Since 1996, Arizona has been building a comprehensive statewide system of school-to-work opportunities for students from kindergarten through college, supported by a School-to-Work (STW) implementation grant from the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education. After 3 years, a public opinion poll of a 2,200-person random sample drawn from parents,…

Educators and laymen have always expressed opinions with respect to the efficiency of our schools. In recent years there has been developed, along with a refinement in the technique of investigation in education, a remarkable public interest in the attempts to evaluate our educational practice. School inquiries, investigations, or surveys have…

Summarizes a study evaluating California's first digital magnet school, designed to emulate a Silicon-Valley high-tech start-up company. A survey of 159 junior and seniors revealed positive perceptions of the school's program and business atmosphere and very high expectations for achieving college and career success. (Contains 44 references.) (MLH)

In an effort to evaluate the effectiveness of its dental hygiene program, William Rainey Harper College (WRHC), in Illinois, conducted a follow-up study of program graduates from 1994. Surveys were mailed to all 30 1994 dental hygiene associate degree graduates, receiving responses from 77% (n=23). Study findings included the following: (1) all…

This paper reports initial results from an evaluation of the first 2 years of implementation of a Master's level teacher preparation program at Wheelock College (Massachusetts) for teachers of students with special needs (TSSN). An overview of the program notes that the intensive 14-month experience leads to a Master's degree in education and…

The first-year evaluation of a two-way Spanish/English bilingual education program at two Austin (Texas) elementary schools is presented. The developmental program has as its objectives the development of students' oral proficiency in Spanish and English, development of grade-level appropriate literacy in both languages, increase in academic…

This paper reports and discusses some of the results of a comprehensive survey of approximately 3,000 1985-90 graduates of 11 teacher education programs in the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, and Southwest. Forty-nine percent graduated from 4-year programs, 36 percent from integrated 5-year programs, and 14 percent from fifth-year (graduate only)…

This study analyzed state policies on the identification and education of gifted students as reflected in legislation, regulations, rules, recommendations, and guidelines provided by 49 states. The elements examined include: (1) state mandated services, (2) district plans for the gifted, (3) gifted education as part of special education, (4)…

This report provides an end-of-year summative evaluation of the STEPS (Striving Toward Excellence in the Performance of Students) program, which was first implemented in elementary schools in 1983-84. The program, which is based on research on effective schools, focuses on school improvement efforts in six areas: (1) aligning instruction with…

The Student's Ultimate Career Coursework, Employment and Student Services (SUCCESS) Handbook project was undertaken to identify student support services available through the California Community Colleges (CCC), increase student retention among special needs vocational education students, and identify common barriers to employment. The project…

In fall 1991, a follow-up study was conducted of former Computer Information System (CIS) program students at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC), in Palatine, Illinois, in an effort to evaluate and provide future direction for the program. All students who had taken four or more CIS courses between summer 1986 and spring 1990, but were not…

In 1990, a follow-up study of nursing program graduates was conducted at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC) in Palatine, Illinois, to examine their employment patterns, further education plans, and evaluate particular aspects of their WRHC experience. All 98 nursing students who earned 48 credit hours in 1990 were mailed questionnaires 1 year…

The School-based Youth Services Program (SBYSP) provides a one-stop location or center accessible to teens within or close to the public school. It is designed to help at-risk students by coordinating services between the community and the school, with the goal of keeping students in school and helping them gain skills that lead to employment,…

In an attempt to evaluate the effectiveness of its nursing program, William Rainey Harper College (WRHC) (Illinois) conducted a follow-up study of 1992 nursing graduates or alumni. In spring 1993, a survey instrument, inquiring about employment status, future educational plans, and evaluation of their experience at WRHC, was mailed to all 142 WRHC…