In this article we address the mounting criticism and rejection of standardized tests used in the selection of students for college or university education. Admission tests are being increasingly demonized in many parts of the world and many colleges and universities are dropping tests for selection purposes, claiming the tests are detrimental to…

Selection decisions have a major impact on our education, occupation, and quality of life, and the role of standardized tests in selection has always been a source of controversy. Here, I consider various definitions of fairness in measurement and selection--those emerging from within educational measurement and statistics, those from philosophy,…

Speededness refers to the situation where the time limits on a standardized test do not allow substantial numbers of examinees to fully consider all test items. When tests are not intended to measure speed of responding, speededness introduces a severe threat to the validity of interpretations based on test scores. In this article, we describe…

This article presents a model of assessment development integrating student characteristics with the conceptualization, design, and implementation of standardized achievement tests. The model extends the assessment triangle proposed by the National Research Council (Pellegrino, Chudowsky, & Glaser, 2001) to consider the needs of students with…

Highlights some of the major questions facing the measurement community in deciding how to conceptualize validity in the revised "Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing" of the American Association for Educational Research, the American Psychological Association, and the National Council on Measurement in Education. Focuses…

The Bookmark method for setting standards on educational tests is currently one of the most popular standard-setting methods. However, research to support the method is scarce. In this report, we review the published and unpublished literature on this method as well as some seminal work in the area of evaluating standard-setting studies. Our…

Discusses the direction large-scale educational testing is heading, pointing out pitfalls in current and future use of such tests. The large-scale assessment community seems to be unconcerned about the central mission of education, the instruction of children. (SLD)

Presents suggestions for classroom-assessment courses regarding (1) communicating assessment results by assigning grades; (2) communicating assessment results in other ways; and (3) communicating the results of standardized testing. Discusses course content in the context of the "Standards for Teacher Competence in the Assessment of…

Before using the National Teacher Examinations (NTE) for teacher certification, states are required to conduct a state-wide validity study. This paper describes approaches used in 35 studies for 18 states to establish (NTE) content validity through curriculum and job relatedness and to establish minimum performance standards. (BS)

The author describes the evolution of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). He describes some of the contributions to educational research made by inquiries based on the SAT and gives particular attention to the way scaling and equating procedures for the SAT have evolved over the last half century. (Author/JAZ)

Development of educational testing in Hungary is reviewed regarding recent political and social changes. Relatively few areas in the educational system use tests regularly. The current political climate is expected to bring new standardized tests. A national core curriculum is planned with more autonomy for local-level and school-level decisions.…