Data from international comparative studies in education are generally derived from complex, multi-stage sample designs and rotated assessments. Consequently, care must be taken not only in estimating variance components but also in interpreting them. Target population definitions, the nature of the sampling stages and their sampling units, and…

In large-scale assessment programs such as NAEP, TIMSS and PISA, students' achievement data sets provided for secondary analysts contain so-called "plausible values." Plausible values are multiple imputations of the unobservable latent achievement for each student. In this article it has been shown how plausible values are used to: (1)…

For decades traditional methods of testing have been criticized for saying relatively little reliably about students' ability as well as causing anxiety, which can negatively affect students' recall of learned information. The reform movement with its innovative approaches focusing on learner-centered education perceives assessment as an…

This article traces the evolution of a quest for solving the problems involved in the analysis of multilevel data and the estimation of the value added effects of schools in influencing educational outcomes. The authors report the findings of two studies that followed several cohorts of students that were tested at two grade levels (Grade 3 and…

Conclusions drawn from results of the practical skills testing of the Second International Association of Evaluation in Educational Assessment Science Study are presented for the six countries participating. Data analyses have indicated that the practical skills tests measured performance that differed from that measured by the paper-and-pencil…