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THIS REPORT DESCRIBES THE PROCESS OF PLANNING NINE REGIONAL MEETINGS FOR PROVIDING EVALUATION RESEARCH TRAINING. GOALS OF THE PLANNING PROCESS WERE (1) TO FORMULATE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES FOR THE REGIONAL MEETINGS, (2) TO DEVELOP A TRAINING DESIGN FOR PARTICIPANTS IN THESE MEETINGS, (3) TO ASSESS AVAILABLE STAFF RESOURCES FOR THESE MEETINGS, AND (4) TO OUTLINE THE KINDS OF RESOURCE MATERIALS NEEDED FOR THE MEETINGS. THE REPORT PRESENTS A LISTING OF THE PLANNING GROUP MEMBERS, PLANNING ISSUES, MAJOR PLANNING ACTIVITIES, THE SELECTED MEETING DATES AND SITES, AND THREE MODEL DESIGNS DEVELOPED FOR THE MEETINGS. THE REGIONAL MEETINGS WERE SUBSEQUENTLY HELD UNDER CONTRACT OE-6-10-209 (ED 010 229), INVOLVING STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PERSONNEL WHO WERE TRAINED IN PROPOSAL EVALUATION RESEARCH (AS APPLIED TO THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT OF 1965, PUBLIC LAW 89-10). (JH)

THIS RESEARCH TRAINING PROGRAM PROVIDED FOR NINE REGIONAL MEETINGS FOR STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PERSONNEL WHO WERE ASSOCIATED WITH EVALUATION RESEARCH SECTIONS OF PROPOSALS FROM LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR FUNDS UNDER PUBLIC LAW 89-10 (ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT OF 1965). THE MEETINGS WERE STAFFED BY FOUR-MAN TEAMS OF CONSULTANTS IN TRAINING DESIGN, EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH, AND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION. OBJECTIVES OF THE MEETINGS WERE TO (1) REVIEW THE EVALUATIVE RESEARCH REQUIREMENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES OF PUBLIC LAW 89-10, (2) REVIEW BASIC CONCEPTS IN EVALUATION RESEARCH AND EXPLORE POSSIBLE POINTS OF INFLUENCE WHEREBY STATE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL COULD UPGRADE THE QUALITY OF EVALUATION RESEARCH, (3) EXAMINE TYPICAL RESEARCH DESIGNS, (4) DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH, (5) STIMULATE PLANNING FOR LONG-TERM RESEARCH OBJECTIVES, AND (6) PROVIDE A MODEL FOR CONDUCTING CLINICS BY STATE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL FOR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT PERSONNEL. A ROSTER OF THE STAFF AND PARTICIPANTS WHO ATTENDED EACH OF THE FIVE EASTERN REGION MEETINGS AND THE FOUR WESTERN REGION MEETINGS IS PRESENTED IN THE REPORT. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THIS TRAINING PROGRAM INDICATED THE FEASIBILITY OF SEVERAL SHORT-TERM MEETINGS WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME HOLDING THE INTEREST AND ATTRACTING THE PARTICIPATION OF PROFESSIONALS IN THE EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH FIELD. (REFER TO ED 010 230 FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.) (JC)

Tarrant County Junior College (TCJC) South Campus in Texas offers a special Basic Studies program for its high-risk students. The program courses are "college level," have transfer credit, and are positive in nature as opposed to the traditional compensatory, remedial approach. There is an in-depth discussion of: the Basic Studies program at TCJC; staff requirements; data concerning the Basic Studies students during the 1970-71 academic year; and an evaluation of the program based on follow-up studies, student responses to questionnaires, and opinions of faculty involved with the program. (CA)

During 1972, a study was conducted for the Latin American Secretariat, Archdiocese of Detroit on the social service needs of the Latino population in the Detroit area. The study included surveys of the (1) services available to Chicano migrant laborers, especially "dropouts from the migrant stream"; and (2) agencies providing (or not providing) services, rather than a study of the social conditions and needs of Latino people. Data were collected through a home interview survey, an agency survey, and the 1970 United States Census. The purpose of the home interview survey was to obtain information from Latino people on their knowledge of social service programs, their use of such programs, and their need for social services. Data were obtained from 177 households in the Detroit area. In the agency survey, the data pertained to the number of Latino clients, physical accessibility of service, provisions for the Spanish speaking, extent of agency orientation to the community, and number and functions of Latino employees. Findings of the home survey are reported in the paper. Topics include demographic data, language abilities and problems, migrant stream dropouts, income status, problems of children and youth, employment and work adjustment, health and health care patterns, and views on housing. (NQ)

Several writers have criticized the traditional structure of the forensics programs--on college and high school levels--as perpetuating a "reality gap" between contest debate and actual public communication. There are methods, however, whereby high school directors can help to bridge this gap and can present a more interesting and enriching forensics program. One method is to provide information to and maintain contacts with other members of the faculty, as well as with community organizations. In addition to contest debate activities, the forensics director can encourage his students to participate in oral interpretation, public speaking, parliamentary procedure, and discussion activities in English and other classes and before community groups. This type of varied experience is valuable to the students and also fosters appreciation within the community for the speech communications programs. (RN)

A computer-based Statistical Program to Assist in Teaching Statistics (SPATS) has been successfully developed to aid the teaching of statistics to undergraduates with business and economics majors. SPATS simplifies the problem of experimentally creating and analyzing a variety of populations and of selecting and analyzing different kinds of random samples, together with individual data and summary statistics. SPATS is also used by students to carry out statistical experiments to prove theorems, similar to experiments used in chemistry to prove Boyle's and Charles' laws. Although experience with this application of computers is limited, results to date indicate that computer assisted statistical experiments will be a major breakthrough in the process of providing students with a real understanding of basic statistical principles and theorems. Research is continuing on the problem of sharpening and testing the tools of SPATS so as to make them more feasible for undergraduate classroom use. (Author/PB)

The project represents the efforts of Highline Public School s during 1967-68 to develop an integrated curriculum in mathematics and science for the primary grades. This project prepared teachers to develop scientific attitudes and student understanding of mathematical and scientific concepts. The curriculum was based upon an inquiry system utilizing eight concepts and seven processes which served to unify mathematics and science. The authors discovered that significant student learning occurred and both students and teachers exhibited greater interest in and enthusiasm for mathematics and science. (RR)

This is a description and a progress report of the Basic Studies Program at Tarrant County Junior College (Texas), a 1-year program in general education designed for students who rank in the lower quarter of their junior college class and who have experienced little academic success in the past. Communications, humanities, social science, natural science, career planning, and reading were the six study areas that were approached through interdisciplinary courses. Instructional teams of six (one from each study area) were responsible for a group of 100 students. Three such groups composed vertical teams; they used block scheduling. Courses emphasized the student's knowing himself, his environment, and his place in future society. Field trips, guest speakers, and team activities were facilitated by block scheduling. The program attempted to provide the student with a total environment. General conclusions show that Basic Studies students persist in college at a higher rate than do students with similar characteristics attempting the traditional remedial approach. Tables and figures are used to explain findings and reports of the three vertical teams are included. Appendices include a follow-up study of the Basic Studies experimental and control groups and a report of the student progress in the Basic Studies Program during 1968-69. (RC)

Conducted in 1967, this study contrasted the job performance of Spanish-surname and non-Spanish-surname police officers in the Investigation and Uniform Divisions of the San Antonio Police Department. Educational level and educational performance limited the number of Mexican Americans on the police force. The job performance factors considered were scores on promotion examinations, supervisory ratings, use of sick and annual leave, and accident rates. Mexican Americans were significantly underrepresented in the police force in proportion to Mexican American representation in the city, and they scored lower on the Probationary Patrolman Examination (perhaps attributable to the lack of language facility or poor education in school). However, there were no significant differences between Spanish-surname and non-Spanish-surname officers in the amounts of sick and annual leave taken, nor in the accident rates. The supervisory efficiency rating was not found to be lower for Spanish-surname officers as previously believed. It was concluded that there was little evidence to support the hypothesis that the rural folk culture background of the Mexican American limited his effectiveness in a complex organization in an industrial economy. (CM)