This study examined the contribution of five categories of variables to the standard-setting recommendations of a representative sample of 241 judges recommending standards for the General Knowledge and Communication Skills Tests of the National Teacher Examinations (NTE) for the state of North Carolina. It was based on the assumption that…

This paper examined some of the issues surrounding the Arizona Teacher Proficiency Examination (ATPE), including the rationale for teacher testing, the Arizona approach to testing, and selected student outcomes. Arizona moved from Legislative directive in April 1980, to the implementation of the Arizona Teacher Proficiency Examination in June…

The National Teacher Examinations (NTE) Core Battery and Specialty Area tests were assessed to determine (1) test validity and (2) minimum performance standards for use in the state of Tennessee. The NTE was reviewed by 316 teacher education personnel, who focused on its relevance to teacher education programs. A group of 288 local school district…

The pattern toward an increase in the number of states using some form of competency testing prior to the certification of educators is substantiated in this paper. Competency testing programs are implemented at three distinct levels: (1) before entrance into a teacher education program near the end of the sophomore year in college; (2) at the end…

This study examined the relationship between teacher education students' scores on basic skills admission tests and graduating seniors' scores on the National Teacher Examinations (NTE) at Eastern Kentucky University. The 1981-82 basic skills test scores for 262 teacher education students were compared with their NTE scores taken in 1984-85 during…

The Functional Academic Skills Tests (FAST) was developed to measure the basic skills of mathematics, reading, and writing in teachers employed by the Houston, Texas, Independent School District. The three content domains were drawn from the Pre-Professional Skills Tests (PPST). These sets of skills, or proficiencies, were amplified by supporting…

The evaluation of the content validity of the Functional Academic Skills Tests (FAST) are described. The FAST was designed to assess the competency of inservice teachers in the Houston, Texas Independent School District in basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills. Validation standards were based on the Equal Employment Opportunity…

The Pre-Professional Skills Tests (PPST), was developed at Educational Testing Service at the request of the National Teachers Examination Policy Council. The battery of three tests is designed to provide objective, standardized measures of basic proficiency in reading, mathematics, and writing. The steps in the test development process of this…

A one-page introduction is followed by summaries of articles and documents on teacher competency testing. George F. Madaus argues that, although tests serve some useful functions, treating them as a major mechanism for reforming education is questionable. Peter A. Garcia examines the negative impact of testing on minority teachers and minorities…

This paper assesses the credibility of a single total instrument score and various logical sub-scores derived from a series of summative judgments about the quality of teaching performance. The objectives were to compare the generalizability of alternative Teacher Performance Assessment Instrument (TPAI) scores, to compare the dependability of…

The purpose of this paper, which is drawn from a larger analytic history of the National Teacher Evaluation (NTE) program, is to investigate issues of validity within the context of the program's 50-year history. Three major findings emerge from historical considerations relating to: (1) the continuity of test content and justification over the…