Evaluating Programs to Increase Student Achievement

"The author does all the right things: stays on task, stays focused, communicates clearly, gives correct and adequate information that practitioners can understand and implement, and presents the content in a scholarly, yet friendly style that promotes collaborative efforts." —Marie Kraska, Professor of Educational Foundations, Leadership, and Technology Auburn University "Clear, concise, understandable information presented in a positive, upbeat, and respectful manner. I couldn't wait to share this with other team members!" —Debbie Johnson, Principal Lunt School, Falmouth, ME Make informed decisions about programs with this step-by-step evaluation process! School leaders can strengthen curriculum and help students experience greater achievement when they have an efficient process for evaluating the effectiveness of school programs. This reader-friendly resource presents a substantive overview of key concepts of the program evaluation process and offers practical guidelines to help administrators and faculty plan and carry out thoughtful evaluations. Designed for new and experienced site-based administrators, this comprehensive second edition provides a wealth of updated information and tools for implementing evaluations, including: An expanded section on needs assessment, complete with new examples Additional methods to analyze data more productively Strategies for using graphs to communicate program results An in-depth discussion of the principal's role in the evaluation process A built-in facilitator's guide and checklist A successful, ongoing evaluation process can promote a collaborative culture among faculty, improve teachers' sense of accomplishment, and strengthen your school's ability to meet the expectations of students and parents.

Table of Contents:
Foreword by Cozette Buckney Acknowledgments Preface 1. Perspectives on Program Evaluation Overview How Program Evaluation Contributes to School Improvement Benefits of Site-Based Program Evaluation Goals of Program Evaluation Two Evaluation Methods Assessing Program Processes Linking Evaluation With Program Improvement A Concluding Note Chapter Highlights 2. How Program Evaluation Contributes to a Learning Organization Overview The Spirit of a Learning Organization The School as a Learning Organization Reflective Practice Linking the Parts of the School Organization for Improved Performance Applying a Systems Approach to Increase Student Achievement A Concluding Note Chapter Highlights 3. Using Program Evaluation to Improve the Curriculum — A Developmental Approach Overview Compatible Evaluation Methods The Problem of Confounding Internal Validity Some Further Threats to Internal Validity A Concluding Note Chapter Highlights 4. An Experimental Approach for Evaluating Programs Overview Internal Validity—A Review Building Control Into an Experiment Random Assignment Experimental Designs Deciding Whether to Use One or Two Groups in an Evaluation Study External Validity A Concluding Note Chapter Highlights 5. Program Evaluation Through Collaboration Overview Why Have an Evaluation Team? Team Composition Factors for Principals to Consider in Establishing the Evaluation Team Forming an Evaluation Team The Team in Operation A Concluding Note Chapter Highlights 6. Measuring Program Outcomes Overview Quantitative and Qualitative Data Comprehensive Evaluation Validity and Reliability of Evaluation Data Validity Reliability Perspectives on Authentic Assessment A Concluding Note Chapter Highlights 7. The Evaluation Process: Phases 1, 2, and 3 Overview Phase 1—Describing the Program Phase 2—Providing Direction for the Evaluation Phase 3—Obtaining Information to Answer Evaluation Questions Chapter Highlights 8. The Evaluation Process: Phases 4, 5, and 6 Overview Phase 4—Analyzing Data to Assess a Program’s Impact Phase 5—Evaluating the Program’s Effectiveness and Offering Recommendations for Its Future Development Phase 6—Writing the Evaluation Report Chapter Highlights 9. Writing the Evaluation Report Overview Format and Content What the Evaluation Report Represents Chapter Highlights 10. Assessing the Evaluation Project Overview Purposes of Metaevaluation Formative Metaevaluation Summative Metaevaluation A Concluding Note Chapter Highlights 11. Revisiting the Principal’s Leadership Role in Program Evaluation Overview The Multidimensional Responsibilities of the Principal in Program Evaluation Attitudes of Principals Toward Assessing Programs Beyond the Technical Principals’ Self-Assessment A Concluding Note Chapter Highlights Appendix. A Mini-Guide for the Evaluation Team Leader References Index