Contextual Appraisal

Abstract

Evaluation of special education programs in the public schools is often based primarily on practices implemented to satisfy accountability and compliance requirements of state and federal agencies. Compliance monitoring, however, does not yield all of the information needed to improve special education programs at the local level. A different conceptual framework, developed in the general education school reform movement---contextual appraisal---seems especially appropriate for special education evaluation because it emphasizes formative descriptions of programs. Contextual appraisal incorporates an ecological view of schools, recognizing the interrelationships among students, teachers, activities, and resources. It also requires the involvement of persons who are responsible for implementing changes based on evaluation in the design and implementation of the evaluative process. At least five issues need to be considered in the application of contextual appraisal practices to special education programs: (a) the impact of legislative influence, (b) individualized student factors, (c) the program/school relationship, (d) the school/district relationship, and (e) the community/school relationship.