In order to determine how much objective evidence exists regarding the effectiveness of career education programs in U.S. schools, American Institutes for Research in Behavioral Sciences (AIR) conducted a comprehensive, national search for well-evaluated activities. The initial nominations of 394 programs were received from state career education coordinators, national laboratories and centers, third-party evaluators, the U.S. Office of Education, and other individuals and institutions prominent in the field. Two hundred and fifty-seven of these programs chose to participate and submit evaluation documents. These activities were then screened according to the following criteria: (1) be in operation for at least one year, (2) be formally evaluated since June 1974, (3) be able to supply a written evaluation report, (4) not be commercially published, (5) be still operating, (6) include a comparison group/standard in its evaluation design, and (7) show evidence of effectiveness. Only sixty-four activities satisfied the criteria at this preliminary level, and following the application of more stringent criteria in two subsequent reviews, only ten were found to be fully well-evaluated activities. (These ten activities were then considered by the Joint Dissemination Review Panel for nationwide dissemination--see CE 020 214.) Based on the discrepancy between the initial number of nominations and the final number of passing activities, it was concluded that a great lack of information exists in the field as to what constitutes a well-evaluated career education program. (ELG)