College populations may differ greatly, not only in terms of traditional academic variables such as high school grades and test performances, but also in terms of student interests, values, educational aspirations, occupational plans, and socio-economic background. The recognition of biographic variables as potential predictors of academic success…

Describes Nova Scotia's testing program, which provides for administrators, supervisors, counselors, and teachers: measurement of student achievement; indications of the extent of program success; diagnosis of student needs; opportunities for improving instructional methods; and indications of the desirability or feasibility of modifying…

Florida's accountability program, the result of the Florida Accountability Acts of 1968 and 1976, contains four parts: statewide assessment program, functional literacy testing, compensatory education program, and norm-referred testing, which are discussed in this article. (BB)

Explains how to set up a testing program to measure student achievement of basic skills. (IRT)

A statistical model is proposed that describes the determination of an educational outcome variable as a nonlinear function of explanatory variables defined at different levels of a survey data hierarchy, such as students and classes. The theoretical and practical derivation of the model is discussed, and an example is given. (Author/BW)

This work presents a methodological critique and secondary analysis of a large scale societal experiment, performed by Kellaghan, that studied the educational and psychological effects of the introduction of standardized achievement/ability testing in elementary schools in Ireland. (Author/PN)

This overview of the Alaska system for test development, scoring, and reporting explored differences and similarities between norm-referenced and standards-based tests. The current Alaska testing program is based on legislation passed in 1997 and 1998, and is designed to meet the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Legislation. In…

The primary purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the positive consequences associated with high stakes test use and interpretation in Arizona were shared among all grade levels in the elementary school, not just the tested grades. In addition, a curriculum alignment variable was examined to observe its association with curricular…

This study examined two major questions: do national and state assessments provide consistent information on the performance of state education systems, and what accounts for discrepancies between national and state assessment results if they are found? Data came from national and state assessments in grade 4 and grade 8 mathematics from 1992 to…

This report presents the results of the West Virginia Statewide Assessment Program for 1999-2000. Student performance is reported for the Stanford Achievement Test, Ninth Edition (SAT-9), the state Writing Assessment, ACT EXPLORE, and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Results of all these assessments indicate that West…

This document contains reports of school district results on the Arizona Measure of Academic Progress by school and grade level for the 1999-2000 school year. Lengthy tables present results for reading and mathematics showing the change in achievement between grades each year from grades 2 to 3 to grades 7 to 8. The Arizona Measure of Academic…

The state of Nebraska has adopted a unique approach to statewide reporting that requires school districts to develop district-level assessments of the state student content standards or district standards comparable in quality and to report the results to the state and public. This system allows districts to base their assessments on what they are…

This document contains the results of a standard setting conducted in January 2002 on the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP) Science and Social Studies tests at grades 4 and 6. Each standard setting process entailed convening four groups, one for each grade level and content area, and each group met for 2 days. At the standard setting judges…

The Nevada Criterion Referenced Tests (CRT) mandated by legislation are designed to provide a means of measuring student academic achievement and proficiency in the Nevada State Content and Performance Standards. This review guide is intended to be used by teachers and administrators as a tool to complement current efforts at preparing students…

The present study, designed as a pilot study to provide an empirical basis for modifying the PEP testing program, investigated the possibility that teachers could accurately evaluate learning progress without formal testing. (Author)