A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

Educational Programs That Work - 1995

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT EPTW

The series of questions and answers that follow will help you to become more familiar with this edition of Educational Programs That Work. A few minutes spent reviewing these questions and answers will enable you to appreciate its full potential

Q. What is the purpose of Educational Programs That Work?

A. Educational Programs That Work is an overview of all educational programs approved for national dissemination by the Department of Education (PEP/JDRP). It provides basic information on exemplary products and practices to those who wish to improve their educational programs and services. The catalogue introduces the National Diffusion Network (NDN), its Facilitators, Developer Demonstrators, and Dissemination Processes, and their services to schools, institutions and other agencies that may wish to adopt these programs.

Q. What is contained in Educational Programs That Work?

A. Educational Programs That Work describes programs approved; by the PEP/JDRP since its inception in 1974. Programs fall into three categories: active programs, programs with limited activity, and programs with services no longer available. Active programs constitute by far the largest group. A one-page program profile for each active program is included in this edition. A half-page profile is devoted to each limited activity program, while "Approved Programs That Are No Longer Available" can be referenced in list form in Section 16 of the catalogue. Some programs are currently receiving dissemination funds from the NDN to assist them in providing services to schools and colleges across the nation. These programs are identified by an asterisk in the section-divider listings.

Q. How are these programs approved?

A. The term "exemplary program" is conferred only after a program has been approved by the Department of Education (either the joint Dissemination Review Panel JDRP]¹ or the Program Effectiveness Panel [PEP]). Approval by the Panel means that Panel members have examined objective evidence of effectiveness submitted by the developer of the program and are convinced that the program has met its stated objective at the original development or demonstration site. In addition, the program developer has proved that the program will meet the educational needs of others in similar locations.

Positive endorsement of a program's claims of effectiveness by a majority of the attending Panel members constitutes approval, and a date of validation is assigned. The PEP/JDRP number and approval date for each program can be found at the bottom of each program profile. Programs that continue development and submit additional evidence of effectiveness to the Panel carry two validation dates. In addition, some programs over six years old which have undergone the recertification process are identified at the bottom of the page with a recertification date.

¹ The JDRP underwent reorganization and a name change. The new name of the review panel is the Program Effectiveness Panel (PEP). The titles JDRP and PEP are both used throughout this document. If JDRP is used, it means that the program was approved for dissemination prior to 1987. PEP approval means approval during or after 1987.

Q. How is Educational Programs That Work organized?

A. The active programs are divided into 15 sections, and then arranged alphabetically by program title. Each section groups programs with a common focus. The sections are as follows:

Section 1: Preservice/Inservice Training
Section 2: Organizational Reform
Section 3: Dropout Prevention/Alternative Programs
Section 4: Reading/Writing
Section 5: Humanities
Section 6: Mathematics
Section 7: Science/Technology
Section 8: Social Sciences
Section 9: Health/Physical Education
Section 10: Multidisciplinary/Cognitive Skills
Section 11: Early Childhood/ Parent Involvement
Section 12: Special Education
Section 13: Gifted/Talented
Section 14: Special Populations: Adult/Higher/Migrant Education
Section 15: Career/Vocational Education

Q. How can I locate a description for a given program if I know only the name of the program?

A. The alphabetical index (Section 17) lists all programs by title.

Q. How can I locate programs for a given content or problem area?

A. To help you locate programs for a given area, selected ERIC- (Educational Resources Information Center) descriptors have been assigned to all active programs described in the catalogue. These descriptors serve as headings for the alphabetical ERIC descriptors index (Section 17).

Q. How can I find a description for a given program if I know only the state in which it is located?

A. The index of exemplary programs by state (Section 17) lists all programs by the state in which they are located.

Q. How can I make a quick preliminary review of the programs in each section?

A. A capsule phrase that summarizes the exemplary program follows each program title. See section 1 for example: the first entry, Active Teaching and Learning (ATaL), is described as "A staff development process aimed at improving teachers' classroom management and instructional skills. Active Teaching and Learning also aims to increase the time students spend on academic tasks, and therefore, increase student it achievement."

Q. If I have last year's edition of Educational Programs That Work, how can I determine what new programs have been added?

A. Programs approved by the PEP since the publication of Edition 20 are listed on pages 13-14.

Q. If I want additional information, such as details on costs of installing an NDN program in my school, how do I obtain it?

A. All entries include the name of a contact person who can answer questions about the program. A mailing address and a telephone number are included in the contact statement. NDN State Facilitators can also provide detailed information.

Q. How can I receive more information about the NDN?

A. Contact your state or regional NDN Facilitator to learn more about the NDN and its programs. A description of the Facilitator may also contact the federal office that administers the National Diffusion Network:

National Diffusion Network
Recognition Division
U.S. Department of Education
OERI/PIP/Recognition Division
555 New Jersey Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20208-5645
(202) 219-2134

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[National Goals for Education]

[Approved Programs]