Joan L. Herman – författare

Labeled A Nation at Risk, Americans are urgently seeking reform in their public school systems. While many promising programs are being developed, they have not yet been validated. The national conference Making Schools Work for Underachieving Minority Students shared the best of what is presently known and deliberated on the implications for research, policy, and practice. Sponsored by CRESST (Center for Research on Evaluation Standards and Student Testing), The National Urban League, and the National Council of LaRaza, the conference was financed by the U.S. Department of Education. Closely following the structure of the conference, this volume's contributors examine education's current status. They then investigate potentially promising approaches to specific problem areas. Contributors treat issues of evaluation and testing, and conclude by addressing the potential of collaborative efforts.Responding to a major challenge, community groups and organizations throughout the country are seeking answers to the problem of underachieving minority students. This volume builds on these shared interests and is a first step toward an intervention process. Topics covered include: creating effective instructional programs; reducing the dropout rate; preparing students for secondary and postsecondary success; helping limited English proficient students; and improving teacher quality. The volume's contributors hope to promote dialogue on promising practices, foster collaboration, identify critical R & D needs and collaborative arrangements, and identify testing and evaluation issues for subsequent inquiry.

Labeled A Nation at Risk, Americans are urgently seeking reform in their public school systems. While many promising programs are being developed, they have not yet been validated. The national conference Making Schools Work for Underachieving Minority Students shared the best of what is presently known and deliberated on the implications for research, policy, and practice. Sponsored by CRESST (Center for Research on Evaluation Standards and Student Testing), The National Urban League, and the National Council of LaRaza, the conference was financed by the U.S. Department of Education. Closely following the structure of the conference, this volume's contributors examine education's current status. They then investigate potentially promising approaches to specific problem areas. Contributors treat issues of evaluation and testing, and conclude by addressing the potential of collaborative efforts.Responding to a major challenge, community groups and organizations throughout the country are seeking answers to the problem of underachieving minority students. This volume builds on these shared interests and is a first step toward an intervention process. Topics covered include: creating effective instructional programs; reducing the dropout rate; preparing students for secondary and postsecondary success; helping limited English proficient students; and improving teacher quality. The volume's contributors hope to promote dialogue on promising practices, foster collaboration, identify critical R & D needs and collaborative arrangements, and identify testing and evaluation issues for subsequent inquiry.

The heart of the Program Evaluation Kit, this volume provides a broad overview of evaluation planning and a practical guide to designing and managing programs. Learn how the field of evaluation has changed over the last ten years. This volume is concise, informative, and clearly written. Major attention is given to: establishing an evaluation′s parameters; the how-to′s of formative and summative evaluation; and the power of evaluation studies that combine both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Also covered are recently developed evaluation standards; and a new emphasis on ongoing program monitoring in evaluation. The Evaluator′s Handbook also covers: concerns, user needs, and other socio-political factors that influence the utility of an evaluation. Strategies for maximizing utility are included throughout the evaluation planning, implementation, and reporting process.

Offers precise lessons on how to: * Focus the evaluation * Identify tracking strategies * Manage instrument development and data collection * Score and summarize data * Analyze information and interpret findings * Use findings and continue monitoring

"An absolute MUST-READ for school leaders who need to generate school improvement immediately! This book will help you make your school′s turnaround a success."—Bruce Haddix, PrincipalCenter Grove Elementary School, Greenwood, IN"The authors go to the heart of school improvement by addressing the critical need to elevate learning for all students through the use of formative data and evaluation."—Jim Lentz, SuperintendentUSD 402 Augusta Public Schools, KSTransform your school with research-based tools!If you want to dramatically improve your school′s performance in a short time, this book is for you. Using formative evaluation, The TurnAround ToolKit offers educators a nine-step method based on data-driven continuous improvement processes. Experts and experienced practitioners Lynn Winters and Joan Herman frame these steps within three overarching "turnaround tasks" that begin with realigning systems, progress to integrating data to create the turnaround plan, and, finally, set the stage for ongoing plan revision. Collaboration and rigorous reflection are interwoven through all the steps. The authors clearly explain how to use data to strategically choose, implement, and monitor school interventions. Included are proven methods for:Improving school and student achievement Meeting accountability targetsIncreasing your school′s competitive edge and reputationBuilding a solid system for ongoing school improvement This comprehensive resource has it all—a clear step-by-step procedure, tools for implementing each step, pocket summaries for each chapter, and leadership guides to walk you through the process.