Changes to state tests impact the ability of State Education Agencies (SEAs) to monitor change in performance over time. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Standardized Performance Growth Index (PGIz), a proposed statistical model for measuring change in student and school performance, across transitions in tests. The PGIz is a…

The gold standard in making causal inference on program effects is a randomized trial. Most randomization designs in education randomize classrooms or schools rather than individual students. Such "clustered randomization" designs have one principal drawback: They tend to have limited statistical power or precision. This study aims to…

Standardized tests are devised to sort students out, comparing them on a scale from high to low, not to discover what students know. Thus, results of standardized tests are misleading in representing the achievements of educational programs and in comparing one school or school system with another. Criterion tests, however, measure directly and…

Describes a criterion-referenced testing program in the elementary schools of Evanston, Illinois. (IRT)

The increasing relation between domain-referenced measurement and its implications in instruction are discussed with the argument that construction methods available do not guarantee content validity which needs more attention to be effective. Two domain-referenced testing procedures illustrate construction and validity problems. (CM)

The Montgomery County Public Schools system in Maryland has initiated a demonstration project which will administer the released writing exercises from the National Assessment of Educational Progress to a random sample of students aged 13 and 17. This project will be unique in terms of the application of NAEP exercises in a local school district.…

Focusing on the use of "paper and pencil" criterion-referenced tests in educational measurement, and to correct misconceptions, the definitions of basic terms and historical antecedents are discussed. Classifications of the tests are compared with other achievement tests. The phases in developing criterion-referenced tests are presented with the…

Some negative feelings about tests may be the result of not understanding what tests do, what their limitations are, and how they are scored. Classroom, standardized, achievement, and criterion-referenced tests are discussed. Tips for helping children develop a realistic attitude toward tests and good work habits are given. (MT)

The decline in scholastic aptitude test ( SAT) scores does not signify that the quality of education is lower. To interpret this decline requires an understanding of the testing process, changing racial and sex mix of the test makers, changing lifestyle of youth, and the increase in the number of students taking the SAT. (Author/AM)

Both criterion-referenced and norm-referenced measures are useful tools to the classroom teacher, but each has its specific uses. The criterion-referenced measure is useful when one is interested in whether an individual possesses particular competencies and when there are no quotas as to how many possess that skill. It is particularly useful in…

Discusses norm referenced and criterion referenced standardized intelligence and achievement tests. Suggests a moritorium on all such tests as advocated and alternatives for assessment such as interviewing parents, children and teachers and examining children's journals and notebooks. (MS)

Basic test terminology is explained for parents of school children. Terms which are defined include aptitude, achievement, criterion referenced tests, norm referenced tests, and intelligence quotient. Brief discussions of the advantages and limitations of tests are included. Testing is seen as providing valuable information to the school, students…

Changes in Scotland's curriculum have led to changes in student testing. A system of grade-related criteria has been developed--descriptions of expected performance in key aspects of a subject at different grade levels. (GDC)

The author contends that the crucial variable distinguishing two types of tests is the way in which the content domain is specified, rather than the use of norm-vs. criterion-referenced interpretations. Because some modes of content specification lead to specified domain and mastery interpretations, and some lead to open domains, the author…

Cross-referenced to instructional objectives defined in a previous publication, (Guidelines to Mathematics, K-6), the Wisconsin Mathematics Test can be used to measure achievement gains over a given year, or to detect student strengths and weaknesses, by correlating missed items with the objectives. It is also possible to compare results on a…