Putting the Evaluation Policy Wheel to the Test: Examining State Evaluation Policy in Gifted Education

• In Event: National Trends and Research and Policy Issues in the United States and Canada

Abstract

The Evaluation Policy Wheel (Trochim, 2009) is a theoretical framework for examining and developing program evaluation policy. The purpose of this study was to test the Evaluation Policy Wheel (EPW) within the context of state policy for gifted education. The program evaluation policies for gifted programs in one state, South Carolina, were examined through review of state policy documents and districts’ gifted and talented programming plans, as well as interviews and correspondence with the state director of gifted education. Overall, the EPW was a useful framework for understanding this state’s evaluation policy and assessing it for areas of strength and areas for improvement. The study also resulted in recommendations for continued clarification and development of elements of the EPW theory.

Author

• Kristina Ayers Paul, Purdue University