Two relatively new tools for analysis of data compiled in evaluation studies are presented. The National Test-Equating Study in Reading, known as the Anchor Test Study, produced tables of score-correspondence between the eight reading comprehension and vocabulary tests most widely used in the United States. Two types of tables from this report…

The implicit definition of competence and the inferential chain that links the standard-setting process to the decision outcomes of the method are considered for two classes of standard-setting procedures: those involving data-free judgments of items and those involving data-based judgment of items. The major underlying assumptions of competence…

Contains a summary of the measurement strategies developed and used by the Technical Analysis Group on behalf of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Also describes some remaining measurement dilemmas in the context of the National Board's assessments and suggests some areas for further research. (SLD)

Findings of a paper that compared three analytic models for classifying public schools are presented in this paper. The first model is the traditional additive multiple linear regression model that assumes the use of a compensatory policy in assigning weights to school attributes. The second is an adaptation of Coomb's (1964) conjunctive model…

This paper reports on a study of the foundation and application of two procedures used to specify appropriate weights to be applied to components in determining the overall quality of a school. These procedures are multiattribute utility technology (MAUT) and policy capturing, and the paper presents the results of applying them, using key…

This study addressed seven questions regarding the methods used in setting passing scores on the essay subtest of the National Teacher Examinations (NTE) Communication Skills test for the North Carolina State Board of Education. North Carolina uses these tests to screen prospective applicants to teacher education programs. The judges (five college…

This study explores the use of the modified caution index (MCI) for identifying judges whose patterns of recommendations suggest that their judgments might be based on incomplete information, flawed reasoning, or inattention to their standard-setting tasks. It also examines the effect on test standards and passing rates when the test standards of…

Issues in collecting data on the classroom performance of teachers are discussed, with a focus on written descriptions of teacher behavior in contrast with videotaped observations. The central issue in this comparison is the comparability of the information when it is observed live and when it is simply recorded on videotape. The fundamental…