An assessment was made of the development of logical thinking of four samples of Australian children. Marked differences were found between the European and aboriginal groups of the samples chosen. Environmental differences were considered to have been a major influence in the performance differences. (DM)

Describes the controversy following the pioneering bill in New York that is to allow standardized admissions tests to be scrutinized by the public. The position of the Educational Testing Service in the issue is presented. (SA)

There is no agreement at present about the importance or meaning of the term "consequential validity." It is important that the authors of revisions to the "Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing" recognize the debate and relegate discussion of consequences to a context separate from the discussion of validity.…

The history of generalizability theory (G theory) is told from the perspective of one researcher's experiences, describing psychometric and scientific perspectives that influenced the development of G theory and its adoption. Work that remains to be done in the field is outlined. (SLD)

The relationship between the validity theory of the past 50 years and actual validity practices was studied by comparing published test standards with the practices of measurement professionals expressed in the "Mental Measurements Yearbook" test reviews. Results show a symbiotic relationship between theory and practice on the influence…

This volume is designed to supplement contemporary textbooks on measurement and testing by explicating some often neglected topics, with particular emphasis on item response theory (IRT). Six chapters focus on the measurement of cognitive abilities, four focus on personality measurement, and a closing chapter contains an overview of IRT. The book…

Proposes additional ways for people in the measurement profession to think about the fairness of assessments and about the fairness of the uses of assessments. Suggests that measurement professionals must pay more attention to reducing group differences at the design stage of test development, to providing all examinees an opportunity to…

Discusses the intellectual history supporting the use of educational testing and describes four current tensions in testing: (1) learning and change versus measurement models; (2) quality of information and policy use; (3) precision versus utility; and (4) individual attainment versus standardized attainment. (SLD)

Discusses the long-term estrangement of psychology and educational testing, a breach that occurred as a result of differences in the goals of experimental psychologists and correlational psychologists who studied the measurement of aptitude and ability. Discusses the development of a new field merging modern knowledge of cognition and learning and…

The question of what it means to follow the "Standards" is discussed. It is argued that the "Standards" consists of statements of general principles, and that interpretation for specific applications requires professional judgment. As a result, disagreements among professionals on the applicability of particular standards to specific situations…

More than six years after the election of our current president, the nation is analyzing the effects of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal legislation. Educators are discovering that the plan is flawed, developmentally inappropriate, ill funded, and leaving more students, teachers, and schools behind than ever before. In this article, the…

As part of a Kentucky effort to improve public education and to increase taxpayer confidence in expanded educational funding, a citizen committee examined and made recommendations on approaches to school accountability and assessment, particularly student testing in the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System (KIRIS). The recommendations…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is an ongoing, congressionally mandated national survey of the knowledge, skills, and understanding of young Americans in major subjects usually taught in school. This document is a guide to the files of the first NAEP Trial State Assessment (1990). The Trial State Assessment collected…