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DOCUMENT RESUME
03404 - [k25!3678]
Problems and Needed Improvements in Evaluating Office of
Education Programs. HRD-76-165; B-164031(l). September 8, 1977.
76 pp. + 4 appendices (53 pp.).
Report to the congress; by Elmer B. Staats, Comptroller General.
Contact: Human Reeources Div.
23udget Function: Education, Manpower, and Social Services:
Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education (501).
Organizaticii Concerned: Office of Education; Department of
Bealtt, Education, and Welfare.
congressional Relevance: House Committee on Education and Labor;
Senate Ccmrittee cn Human Resources; Congress.
Authority: Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 241a). Education Amendments of 1974 (P.L. 93-380).
General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1226c).
Education Amendments of 1972 (P.L. 92-318). 20 U.S.C. 1231a.
A review was conducted to determinp the effectiveness
of federally suppcrted education evaluations, primarily those
concerning elementary and secondary education programs, in order
to obtain objective data for allocating resources and in
deciding whether cr not programs should be continued or
modified. Questionnaires were sent to education agencies in all
States and the District of Col:mbia and to a statistical sample
of local school districts to obtain State and local agencies'
views on Federal education program evaluations. Federal, State,
and local educaticn agencies frequently use standardized
norm-referenced achievement tests to measure the effect of
Federal education programs. Findings/Conclusions: The Office o:.
Education's (O) evaluation studies can better serve Congress by
having them timed to coincide with the legislative cycle and b.
more frequent briefings of congressional committee staffs. OE
needs to make a better effort to set forth specific qualitative
and quantitative program objectives in order to provide a clear
basiz for program evaluation. The usefulness of the State and
local evaluation reports needs improvements in the areas of:
relevance of reports to policy issues, d'ta completeness and
comparability, and report timeliness. If he reporting systems
based on aggregated local agency data are to be effective,
standardization of data collection efforts is needed. Educators
and test exrerts disagree on the use of standardized
norm-referenced tests versus criterion-referenced tests. More
research may be needed on criterion-referenced tests and on how
to reduce racial, sexual, and cultural biases in standardized
tests. Recommendations: The Secretary of HEW should direct OE
to: (1) emphasize congressional information needs when planning,
implementing, and reporting on evaluation studies; (2) seek
agreement with Congress on the specific program objectives to be
used for evaluations as well as acceptable evaluation data and
measures for each program to be evaluated; and (3) improve the](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.gao/gaobaacpw0001&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)