International large-scale student assessments (ILSAs) in education represent a valuable source of information for policy-makers, not only on student achievements, but also on their relationship with different contextual factors. The results are partly described in the official studies' reports; more can be derived from the publicly released data…

A growing body of research showing that grade retention serves as an educationally low-quality placement has raised increasing concerns about whether the use of standardized tests in making decisions concerning grade retention conforms to current standards for appropriate and nondiscriminatory test use. This article examines the extent to which…

In this article we provide a critique of the interpretation and utilization of Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results by the National Education Authorities in Turkey. First, we define and explain what OECD's PISA is. Second, we make an overview of the media coverage in Turkey of the PISA 2003 and 2006 results. Third, we…

Local assessment systems are being marketed as formative, benchmark, predictive, and a host of other terms. Many so-called formative assessments are not at all similar to the types of assessments and strategies studied by Black and Wiliam (1998) but instead are interim assessments. In this article, we clarify the definition and uses of interim…

Based on the results of a generalizability study of measures of teacher knowledge for teaching mathematics developed at the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing at the University of California, Los Angeles, this article provides evidence that teachers are better at drawing reasonable inferences about student…

Assessments labeled as formative have been offered as a means to improve student achievement. But labels can be a powerful way to miscommunicate. For an assessment use to be appropriately labeled "formative," both empirical evidence and reasoned arguments must be offered to support the claim that improvements in student achievement can be linked…

The Joint Committee on Testing Practices has completed the "Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education," which is meant for the public and focuses on the proper use of tests in education--admissions, educational assessment and diagnosis, and student placement. The Code separately addresses test developers' and users' roles. (SLD)

The effects of a school district's testing and evaluation activities cannot be effectively assessed without an understanding of the explicit and implicit goals embedded in the policies and practices of the district. A structured workshop process to elicit a district's intentions related to the effects--uses and impacts--of testing and evaluation…

Three major pragmatic issues in computerized testing are addressed: (1) encouraging teacher use; (2) reporting of information; and (3) test construction. Reference is made to four related articles. Additional areas for research include reporting of test information; item bank standards; validity; and rules for stopping in computerized testing.…

Discusses applications of the Problem Solving Inventory for counseling and managed health care, career and industrial/organizational issues, training, and academic performance. Examines the role of problem solving in psychological health and describes the inventory, how to administer it, and previous research findings. (RJM)

Explores the policy uses of assessment and focuses particularly on its persuasive role in encouraging higher levels of educational performance and on its accountability and regulatory functions. Policymakers continue to insist that assessments can be used for multiple purposes, in spite of past experience and expert evidence to the contrary. (SLD)

Assessment systems to measure high educational standards emerged as the major theme at the 1996 conference of the National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST), "Moving Up to Complex Assessment." This feature article, providing a summation of the proceedings of the conference, reports that the…

An expanded framework for validating tests is needed to include the perspectives of teachers and students as well as of test makers and scientists. The development of educational assessments must take place within an understanding of how tests are used in context. (SLD)

An overview of issues in program evaluation is provided for corporate contributions administrators, including the place of testing in such evaluations, so that the administrators are in a better position to plan, commission, monitor, evaluate, and use evaluations of the projects they fund. In the first chapter, metaphors and models for educational…

A scale was developed for measuring the persuasive impact of qualitative and quantitative evaluation reports on decision makers. Using two exploratory (n=192 graduate and undergraduate students) and two confirmatory (n=200 administrators) samples, researchers developed a 28-item Likert-type scale that demonstrated high reliability and validity.…