Increasing the effectiveness of educational demonstration programs

Delineates the data and anlytical procedures necessary for comparing educational demonstration programs. Used as a means of encouraging the introduction of new practices into the educational process, the effectiveness of demonstration programs depends, in part, on the quality of the data about the program and its availability to the planner. Data on demonstration programs are available either within the demonstration districts, in reports submitted by districts to state departments of education, or in reports submitted by the state department of education on their own analyses of the programs. Data from all these sources should be consolidated into a single state evaluation report organized to faciltate analysis. The report presents a methodology for estimating program cost and determining program outcomes in a consistent and comparable manner. The use of cost-effectiveness analysis in comparing costs and outcomes for alternative programs is discussed. Delineates the data and analytical procedures necessary for comparing educational demonstration programs. Used as a means of encouraging the introduction of new practices into the educational process, the effectiveness of demonstration programs depends, in part, on the quality of the data about the program and its availability to the planner. Data on demonstration programs are available either within the demonstration districts, in reports submitted by districts to state departments of education, or in reports submitted by the state department of education on their own analyses of the programs. Data from all these sources should be consolidated into a single state evaluation report organized to facilitate analysis. The report presents a methodology for estimating program cost and determining program outcomes in a consistent and comparable manner. The use of cost-effectiveness analysis in comparing costs and outcomes for alternative programs is discussed. 54 pp.