Abstract
In 1989 and 1990, the research and evaluation department in the Dallas, Texas Independent School District (DISD) pioneered the use in a large, urban school district of a policy-oriented report—the chart essay—instead of a methods-oriented report to communicate findings. That experience and resulting changes in the department are documented. Limitations of the methods-oriented report and recommendations for enhancing utilization are reviewed. A definition and a description of the steps in designing, conducting, and presenting information in a chart essay are presented. Training information about the philosophy and the techniques of the chart essay is provided. Local (DISD) reactions and identification of implications of using this process in a large urban district conclude the study.
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