This book addresses a problem that affects the work of all educators: how traditional methods of assessment undermine the capacity of schools to serve students with diverse cultural and social backgrounds and identities. Anchored in a commonsense notion of validity, this book explains how current K-12 assessment practices are grounded in the…

The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced) strives to provide every student with a positive and productive assessment experience, generating results that are a fair and accurate estimate of each student's achievement. Further, Smarter Balanced is building on a framework of accessibility for all students, including English…

The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced) strives to provide every student with a positive and productive assessment experience, generating results that are a fair and accurate estimate of each student's achievement. Further, Smarter Balanced is building on a framework of accessibility for all students, including English…

The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced) strives to provide every student with a positive and productive assessment experience, generating results that are a fair and accurate estimate of each student's achievement. Further, Smarter Balanced is building on a framework of accessibility for all students, including English…

The article summarizes current knowledge as it relates to three basic requirements for assessment (qualified personnel, adequate tools, and fair implementation) and identifies research and evaluation priorities for special education and school psychology. Priorities include defining minimum competency for assessment personnel and identifying…

Critical issues such as unbiased assessment and expected incidence of students with emotional and behavior disorders are addressed in terms of such issues as unbiased assessment. Recommended practices are described in terms of a five-step process to aid in determining eligibility and making placement decisions. (CL)

Culturally specific behaviors must be considered in the pre-referral phase of assessing culturally diverse/limited-English-proficient students. Inferences regarding the reasons for students' performance reflect the knowledge base acquired by the school staff concerning a student's culture. Evaluative questions can gather data to assure non-biased…

The project titled "Evaluating the non-English Speaking Handicapped" was established to research existing evaluation instruments in language other than English, validate the tests as well as additional translations where needed, and develop a procedural manual for distribution to utilize in evaluating non-English speaking handicapped students. The…

Several methods of assessing test item bias are described, and the concept of fair use of tests is examined. A test item is biased if individuals of equal ability have different probabilities of attaining the item correct. The following seven general procedures used to examine test items for bias are summarized and discussed: (1) analysis of…

This article discusses the structure of a committee that evaluates assessments for students with visual impairments and the process by which the committee arrives at its recommendations to test developers and administrators. Concerns and preferred practices that have been revealed by the committee's two years of experience are discussed. (CR)

The report examines due process protections and requirements in evaluation as mandated by P.O. 94-142 (The Education for All Handicapped Children Act) and Maryland special education Bylaw. A checklist guide for Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) personnel to ensure protection in evaluation is provided. Self check guidelines touch on 16…

This article examines special problems in assessing young blind children resulting from their great heterogeneity. Case studies are offered to illustrate the irresponsibility of applying standardized tests developed for sighted populations to blind children who have very different experiential backgrounds. Positive principles for assessment of the…

The "Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing" of the American Educational Research Association, the American Psychological Association, and the National Council on Measurement in Education are intended to provide a comprehensive basis for evaluating tests. This digest identifies key standards applicable to most test…

This article reviews barriers to the recognition of and assistance for gifted and talented Black students, focusing on inadequate definitions, theories, and identification procedures. Rationales are presented for reexamining current definitions and broadening the theories of giftedness to include more Blacks. Recommendations are provided for…

This guide presents a series of check lists to help teachers and counselors provide nonbiased assessment for referred children, particularly those who are culturally different. The first section deals with evaluating the legitimacy of the referral and considers whether parents have been properly notified. The second section, meeting the child,…