Omni Shoreham Hotel
2500 Calvert Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20008
(202) 234-0700

The Institute of Education Sciences (Institute) believes that improving education depends in large part on using evidence generated from rigorous research to make education decisions. The Institute recognizes, however, that evidence-based answers for all of the decisions that education decision-makers and practitioners must make every day do not yet exist. Furthermore, education leaders cannot always wait for scientists to provide answers. One solution for this dilemma is for the education system to integrate rigorous research and evaluation into the core of its activities. The Institute believes that the education system needs to be at the forefront of a learning society—a society that plans and invests in learning how to improve its education programs by turning to rigorous evidence when it is available, and by insisting that when we cannot wait for evidence of efficacy that the program or policy we decide to implement be evaluated as part of the implementation.

Toward this goal, the Institute is sponsoring this workshop to provide state and local education agencies with an overview of how rigorous evaluations can be incorporated in the implementation of education programs and policies.

The Institute provides funding to support rigorous evaluations of education programs and policies through its Education Research program (84.305a), Special Education Research program (84.324A), and its Evaluation of State and Local Education Programs and Policies (84.305E) research program. Information on these research funding opportunities is available at http://ies.ed.gov/funding/.

Mark W. Lipsey, Ph.D.
Director of the Center for Evaluation Research and Methodology and a Senior Research Associate at the Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies, Vanderbilt University

Mark W. Lipsey specializes in program evaluation and field experimentation methodology with a focus on programs for at-risk children. His current research activities involve early childhood educational programs, risk and intervention for antisocial behavior, and issues of methodological quality in program evaluation. His published work includes Evaluation: A Systematic Approach (with Peter Rossi and Howard Freeman) and Practical Meta-Analysis (with David Wilson). Dr. Lipsey has served on the editorial boards of various research journals, grant proposal review panels for IES, NIH, and NIJ, and advisory boards or committees for, among others, the National Research Council and the Department of Education. His research has been funded by grants from IES, NIH, NIJ, NSF, and several foundations and has been recognized by awards from such organizations as the American Evaluation Association, the Society for Prevention Research, and the Campbell Collaboration.

David Holdzkom
Assistant Superintendent for Evaluation and Research at the Wake County Public School System, Raleigh, North Carolina.

David Holdzkom has extensive experience in conducting educational research and evaluations for organizations such as the Appalachia Educational Laboratory, the NC Department of Public Instruction, North Carolina Central University, the University of North Carolina, the Durham (NC) Public Education Network and the Tennessee and North Carolina General Assemblies. He joined Wake County Public Schools in May 2005 as the assistant superintendent for evaluation and research. His department is responsible for administering the state testing program, conducting program and policy evaluations, and conducting research related to the practices of highly effective teachers. Mr. Holdzkom is regularly published in educational journals such as Phi Delta Kappan, Educational Leadership, the Journal of Personnel Evaluation in Education, and, most recently, the Journal of Thought. He is also an active member of the American Educational Research Association, the National Association of Test Directors, and the National Directors of Research in Education. As a member of the Superintendents’ Executive Program (2005) at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Mr. Holdzkom was the winner of the Academic Achievement Award, and the Jack McCall Award. He was a Holton Fellow in History and Philosophy of Education at UNC, where he also teaches a course in Assessment and Accountability.

There is no fee to attend this training workshop. Workshop participants are responsible for lodging and travel costs. Lunch and other refreshments will be provided to participants for $60, which is payable at the time of registration to defray the cost of the meals and refreshments.

Registration is limited to 150 workshop participants. Registration will be accepted on a first-come, first served basis until all spaces are filled. Once all spaces are filled, IES will close registration and form a wait-list. If spaces become available because of cancellations, additional participants will be allowed to register.

Participants should register for this workshop at https://www.sei2003.com/IESEvaluationWorkshop/Registration.asp. This secure website is hosted by IES' logistics contractor, Synergy Enterprises, Inc. (SEI).

As a service to workshop participants, SEI has reserved a block of rooms at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. The workshop hotel rate can be used for up to two days before and after the workshop if participants wish to extend their visit to the Washington, DC area. Instructions on how to book hotel rooms using the workshop rate will be included in an email confirming your registration.

For Inquiries about Workshop Content:
Dr. Allen Ruby
Associate Commissioner for Policy and Systems Division
National Center for Education Research
Institute of Education Sciences
555 New Jersey Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20208-5500

Telephone: (202) 219-1591
Email: Allen.Ruby@ed.gov

For Inquiries about Workshop Registration and Hotel Issues:
Eileen Luna-Lynch
Senior Conference Manager
SYNERGY ENTERPRISES, INC.
8757 Georgia Avenue, Suite 450
Silver Spring, MD 20910

Telephone: (240) 485-1700, ext. 132
Email: ELynch@sei2003.com