What Is Educational Evaluation?

Educational evaluation involves the systematic assessment of educational activities. Objects of evaluation include instructional programs, school initiatives and education goals. The growth in federal funding for education and policy-makers' increased calls for school accountability have contributed to the growth of educational evaluation. Many large school districts have personnel responsible for evaluation activities.

Function

Educational evaluation strives to assess the merits and the impacts of educational programs and initiatives. Examples include evaluating the success of a new dropout prevention program, or comparing the effectiveness of two different reading programs.

Methods

Educational evaluation uses many of the research methods employed by education and social science researchers. Evaluation involves data collection and analysis, using quantitative and qualitative methods.

Benefits

Evaluation can help educators determine the success of their programs and pinpoint efforts to improve student achievement. It also can help school systems identify the characteristics of successful programs.

Considerations

Many school systems receive federal and state grants, which often include evaluation requirements, which helps document how the grant funds were used, and what outcomes resulted from funded activities.

Misconceptions

Many educators often mistake student assessment and teacher appraisals for evaluation. These activities are better described as measurement: the former is an assessment of individual learners rather than of educational phenomena, whereas the latter is a measurement of certain attributes in teachers.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• National Center for Education Evaluation