This case study exemplifies the design of a formative evaluation project concerned with the implementation of a new school form in Austria. The purpose of this case study is to show how multiple methods were implemented in the research project NOESIS ("Niederösterreichische Schule in der Schulentwicklung"; Lower Austrian Middle School in…

This case study describes methods and rationales for measuring attitudes toward physical education in high school students. Due to the nature of physical education experiences in schools, there may be both consciously considered (explicit) and less conscious (implicit) forces on attitudes. A full understanding of attitudes toward physical…

This case study describes the use of a regression discontinuity design and a quasi-experimental design to evaluate the impact of School Improvement Grants on high school students' reading, mathematics, and science achievement. The high schools that participated in the School Improvement Grant program were very low performing and received…

For educational achievement tests that employ multiple-choice (MC) items and aim to reliably classify students into performance categories, it is critical to design MC items that are capable of discriminating student performance according to the stated achievement levels. This is accomplished, in part, by clearly understanding how item design…

Presented at the Annual National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) in San Diego in April 2009. This presentation explores how the College Board strives to ensure the relevance and utility of score reporting practices and methods for the PSAT/NMSQT and SAT scores. The new reporting methods allow for greater interaction and intervention at…

Presented at the National Conference on Student Assessment in Orlando, hosted by the CCSSO (Council of Chief State School Officers), June 2008. This presentation explores use of the assessments within the classroom and how those choices can affect performance and learning.