Evallation; Staff Role; *State Departments of Education

Evaluation practice within state educagion agencies (SEAs) is reviewed from a management consultant's perspective.fthe sillady is Based upon a review of literature, discussions withothe Northwest 'Regional EducationallLaboratory Research on Evaluation Program, and visits to SEAsin California, Montana and shington. 'The main findings of the study deal with the current ' p ctice of evaluation in SEAS, and with management metaphors whi throw light "upon the evaluation unit considered as a supplier of services within the SEA, and upon the unit's clients who are its customers for such services.. The central theme of the study is that the basic paradigm underlying SEA evaluation is in the process of change, moving from the big, study, advanced methodology glamor of the late 1960s to an organization-based function supporting SEA management in a variety of ways, alongside other staff specialists. The study suggests that in the long term the SE?i. evaluation function will condense into two sets 'of roles, namely, that of evaluation systems analysis, and a consulting-role. The study then goes on to identify three possible intervention strategies: (1) clarification and confirmatiOn of the new,paradigm; (2) assistance to the supply side of evaluation-services; and (3) the building up of informed and understanding demand among evaluation client's. (Author/Mt)