Data from research studies seem to support the validity of teacher judgments of student achievement; however, there are unresolved issues, including the focus of the judgment, the external validity or credibility of the assessment, and the process of the assessment itself. To achieve maximum benefits from this form of assessment/teaching…

The instructional impact of criterion-referenced testing during the past three decades is reviewed, and a method of devising criterion-referenced tests is suggested that departs from the usual model. Adding verification along the lines of panel review that newly constructed test items do elicit appropriate information is suggested. (SLD)

Clearly stated educational objectives can help in educational evaluation. Because objectives sans assessment are little more than rhetoric, criterion-referenced tests are advocated for assessing objective-attainment. Performance standards are viewed as appropriately separable from objectives. Five guidelines regarding objectives are suggested for…

Many changes have occurred in techniques used to appraise student achievement in social studies, and these new approaches may put teachers in a better position to notice the progress of individual students and then plan for sequential learning. Some of the deficiencies of traditionally used standardized tests have been overcome through the use of…

As part of a major effort to raise student achievement, Colorado schools have been putting into place rigorous academic content standards that spell out the skills and knowledge students should acquire in core subject areas. This guide contains information about part of this effort, the new Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP), to help…

The new Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) was developed to provide a measurement of how well students and schools are meeting Colorado's academic content standards. The CSAP tests are not norm-referenced showing how much a student has learned in comparison with other students. Instead, they are based on the state's content standards.…

Different kinds of tests are given to determine student achievement. Standardized achievement tests are often used, but have many limitations. They may be useful in determining the content students should learn and its relevance for future learning and the curriculum. Criterion referenced tests eliminate a major weakness of standardized tests in…

Looks at school-based assessment within a norm-referenced framework which replaced external examinations for all year levels of high school in Queensland (Australia) beginning in 1973. Suggests that changes have made little advance, have used an enormous amount of resources, but have acted as an impetus to examine assessment and curriculum. (PK)

This is an age of backlash, as illustrated by many developments in the field of education. Backlash against performance assessment is very evident, but it must be remembered that backlash has its uses. It forces advocates to rethink, reformulate, and restate why they put so much faith in the program under attack. Events have pushed advocates to…

Psychometrically linking a state criterion-referenced test (CRT) and a norm-referenced test (NRT) to yield NRT information through the CRT was studied with samples of 1,500 to 3,000 elementary school students per subject and grade level in Connecticut. A CRT/NRT link can create a focused and coherent assessment system. (SLD)

Tests are being used widely, and misused widely, to evaluate students, teachers, principals, and other educational administrators. This short primer on testing and assessment is organized into three parts. Part 1, "Essential Statistical Terms," introduces some statistics that are essential to understanding testing concepts and for…

Characteristics that distinguish criterion-referenced tests from their norm-referenced counterparts are discussed, including: the purposes that they are designed to serve; the characteristics of the types of items that they contain; and the manner in which they are developed. More specifically, the distinguishing characteristics include: reference…

This book addresses the roles assessments play in education and provides detailed descriptions of the common assessment types, norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests, and alternative assessments. Chapter 1 discusses the current arguments for and against the various methods of assessment, the quality requirements for test instruments, and…

The 1992-93 school year marked the first year of implementation of the statewide mandate of the Arizona Student Assessment Program (ASAP), which revised previous legislation. Iowa Test of Basic Skills testing requirements were restricted to grades 2 and 7, and districts were allowed greater flexibility in their own testing, which had previously…

The Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) is a statewide testing program in reading and mathematics (with other subject areas tested on a sampling basis). The MEAP tests are administered every fall to all fourth, seventh, and tenth graders. This Handbook was developed to assist educators in analyzing, using, and reporting MEAP test…