How Are Educational Evaluations Used?
Educational evaluations examine the design, implementation and impact of elementary and secondary education programs. Federal and state laws, and even some local regulations often require evaluations of education programs, especially if they were funded by grants.
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Function
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Educational evaluations provide school system administrators with information on program outcomes. For example, an evaluation of a math tutoring program may demonstrate the extent to which the program helped improve student achievement in math.
Types
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Formative educational evaluations assess the implementation of programs, while summative evaluations explore program effects. Compliance reports document whether programs complied with applicable laws and regulations.
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Features
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Education researchers and program evaluators collect qualitative and quantitative data, use social science and statistical methods to analyze data, and present results in formal written reports that feature text, data tables and charts and graphics.
Significance
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Federal and state government grants fund many educational programs and interventions. Program evaluations provide evidence that school systems complied with applicable laws and program requirements governing use of grant funds.
Potential
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The results of educational evaluations often identify areas in which administrators can improve programs or the services they provide.
History
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The federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, which funded a variety of education programs, increased the use of educational evaluations. The law required evaluations of programs funded under this act.
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References
- Evaluation: A Systematic Approach (6th ed.); Peter Rossi, Mark Lipsey and Howard Freeman; 1999
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of woodley wonderworks
