Since the inception of mandated testing in reading and mathematics, social studies instruction has been marginalized in elementary and middle schools. After the genesis of several state-mandated testing programs and nearly a decade after the launch of the No Child Left Behind legislation, the effects of limited K-8 social studies instruction are…

This article examines data from nine statewide administrations of the Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Assessment (ICLA) over three-years. The ICLA measures pre-service teachers' knowledge of research-based content and pedagogy related to reading instruction and assessment. The purpose of this article was first to examine pre-service candidates'…

This is one of a series of annual reports which describe standardized test performance of elementary school pupils in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Tests reported include the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) and the Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS). In addition to achievement scores, this report contains…

The ABC Accountability Plan in North Carolina elementary and middle schools focuses primarily on the average growth shown by groups of students on end-of-grade reading and mathematics tests. Average test results for a group of students at the end of a year are compared to scores for the same students at the end of the prior year. Two levels of…

The Department of Educational Measurement and Evaluation (DEME) of the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi, India prepared a scheme of assessment for primary classes based on the concept of continuous and comprehensive evaluation. This scheme was finalized by an expert group before actual tryout. Primary…

The Primary Acquisition of Languages Oral Language Dominance Measure (PAL) developed by the El Paso Independent School District determines a child's structural proficiency in English and Spanish and measures language dominance to aid in placing pupils in bilingual programs. PAL consists of four components, including an examiner's manual containing…

This document contains a brief summary of research on the Success for All comprehensive school reform program and the alignment document that outlines the correlation between Success for All and the objectives and outcomes described in the Stanford Achievement Test: Ninth Edition (SAT-9) as designed by Harcourt, Inc. Research has found Success for…

This Action Plan has been developed to ensure the success of the Arkansas Smart Start Initiative, the part of the Arkansas Comprehensive Testing, Assessment and Accountability Program (ACTAAP) that focuses on grades K through 4. As do other aspects of the ACTAAP, the Smart Start Initiative has four components, each of which is described here: (1)…

This document describes the North Carolina Open-Ended Assessment for grades 4 and 8 and presents results for the 1999-2000 administration. The assessment emphasizes higher level thinking skills and requires students to apply or demonstrate skills and knowledge beyond the recall level on challenging subject matter. The open-ended assessment has…

The School Mastery of Reading Test (SMRT) program was designed to give administrators and teachers information about reading performance and recommendations for improving the instructional program. The project includes development of a valid and reliable reading test based on the New York City curriculum in order to assess the potential linkage…

In August 1998, the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS), North Carolina, adopted a goal statement that specified that by 2003, 95% of students tested would be at or above grade level as measured by the North Carolina End-of-Grade (EOG) tests at grades 3 and 8. This report defines that goal operationally and defines the terms used to describe…

This report contains summaries of the results from the third administration of the fourth and sixth grade science and social studies portions of the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP). These results are part of a long-term effort to gather data on the educational progress of Delaware students and to use the data to inform decisions about…

The North Carolina Writing Assessment, which is part of the state's End-of-Grade testing program, requires students in grades 4 and 7 to write essays in response to a standardized prompt. This report contains results for the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS). Fourth grade writing assessment scores across North Carolina rose in 1999, and in…

Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) students in grades 3 through 8 took the North Carolina End-of-Grade (EOG) multiple-choice tests during the months of May and June of 2002. These tests are the basis of the accountability program referred to as ABCs, Accountability, Basics, and Control. WCPSS EOG multiple-choice results for 2001-2002 show…

This report presents the results of Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) students on the North Carolina End-of-Grade (EOG) multiple-choice tests from May and June 2001. The EOG tests have several components, but all are designed to measure student achievement of the knowledge and skills of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for…