Six articles analyze 1989 data from the Computers in Education Study of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), a cross-national elementary and secondary education assessment. A seventh paper describes the rationale and procedures for construction of tests used in the study's second stage in 1992. (SLD)

This paper describes an educational accountability system that provides needed accountability along with the data necessary for school improvement. The accountability system, which is being implemented in the Dallas (Texas) schools, is a three-tier system moving from the school level through district improvement plans to school improvement…

How to generate information that can be used in the evaluation of problem solving by school principals was studied, drawing on a survey of 36 California principals. A proposed conceptual framework was tested in interviews with 30 other principals. Information generated by one principal illustrates problem solving in action. (SLD)

Issues of dimensionality, validity, reliability, and generalizability of students' ratings of instruction were studied with 610 college students who evaluated their instructors on the Teacher Effectiveness Scale. The Scale had high internal consistency, but interrater reliability, generalizability, and predictive validity warrant further study.…

Different meanings of portfolio assessment are reviewed, and potential applications to program evaluation are explored. At present, portfolio assessments are not recommended as the primary source of evidence about the attainment of program goals in evaluations that compare curricula or programs because of the lack of validity and reliability…

Item characteristic curves were compared across gender and socioeconomic status (SES) groups for the university entrance mathematics examination in Turkey to see if any group had an advantage in solving computation, word-problem, or geometry questions. Differential item functioning was found, and patterns are discussed. (SLD)

The development of computer application practices integrated into a science teachers' professional development program was examined. Results from a workshop for 14 teachers demonstrated that, although computer applications were not explicitly taught, the integration of their use into the goal-oriented environment resulted in an optimal solution…

The importance of fostering individual and institutional improvement as the basis of personnel evaluation is discussed. Attributes of a sound evaluation system are described, and a generalized model of evaluation is presented that addresses improvement for both the organization and the employee. (SLD)