This essay is a critical reflection on educational standardization, particularly the standardization of assessment flowing down from major international assessment projects like the OECD's Project for International Student Assessment to national and sub-national school systems. I argue that the establishment of an increasingly uniform metric to…

One of the competitive priorities of the U.S. Department of Education's Race to the Top applications addressed science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). States that applied were required to submit plans that addressed rigorous courses of study, cooperative partnerships to prepare and assist teachers in STEM content, and prepare…

Recent social policy reforms have sought to overcome the limitations of "First Way" strategies emphasizing the welfare state and "Second Way" approaches advocating markets. Scholars and policymakers instead have begun to explore optimal synthesis of the public and private sector in a new "Third Way" of leadership and change. According to one line…

This comprehensive evaluation of basic skills testing in California's elementary and secondary schools is divided into an executive summary and a collection of research reports. The summary evaluates current testing conducted by the state, school districts, and classroom teachers; describes experimental studies on new ways of testing and reporting…

A summary, prepared from notes and tape recordings, is presented of the 1979 conference of the National Consortium on Testing. Panel descussions on the following topics are included: (1) introduction; (2) update--recent and upcoming events concerning testing; (3) test preparation and coaching; (4) minimum competency testing; (5) program evaluation…

Three conference sessions focused on attempts to implement minimum competency testing programs at various educational levels. In each of the sessions particular attention was paid to planning for the development of a minimum competency testing program; the processes of development, initiation, and interpretation of the results; and difficulties…

Criterion-referenced testing (CRT) is defined as a method of ascertaining an individual's status with respect to some performance standard. Computer-assisted testing (CAT) is a method of constructing tests using a variety of computer techniques such as a single test computer printouts, stored item banks, teacher specified criteria, machine…

This issue of the IRCD Bulletin comprises Part I of the Report of the Commission on Tests of the College Entrance Examination Board, and a review of the recommendations made by the Commission. The Commission addressed itself to the question, "What can schools do to increase the readiness of students for further education, and what can colleges do…

This paper defines Bayesian network models and examines their applications to IRT-based cognitive diagnostic modeling. These models are especially suited to building inference engines designed to be synchronous with the finer grained student models that arise in skills diagnostic assessment. Aspects of the theory and use of Bayesian network models…

This book is designed to assist testing professionals as they face the challenge of how best to assess and test people with disabilities. Chapters include: (1) "Testing Individuals with Disabilities: Reconciling Social Science and Social Policy" (Diana Pullin); (2) "The Psychometrics of Testing Individuals with Disabilities"…

The association between Lewis M. Terman and the World Book Company is traced in order to gain insight about the role of test publishing in the testing movement. The test publisher assumes the position of an intermediary between the test developer and the educational administrator responsible for making decisions about test adoption. Terman began…

This paper discusses systemic problems with testing and outlines two scenarios for reformulating testing based on intelligent tutoring systems. Five desiderata are provided to underpin the type of testing proposed: (1) tests should emphasize learning and thinking; (2) tests should require generation as well as selection; (3) tests should be…

Procedures for administering the Proficiency Testing Program, adopted by the Idaho State Department of Education, are explained in this test administration manual. The tests are described as given on a district optional basis to ninth grade students in the basic skills areas of reading, writing, spelling, and mathematics. Criterion-referenced…

This paper concerns the projected changes suggested for testing in the future by the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). A Commission on Tests is held desirable, the general purpose of which is to describe a comprehensive series of testing activities supporting the large-scale distribution of students among college level institutions in the…

The application of tests in clinical and counseling work, in educational achievement testing, and in personnel selection is discussed. An analysis of the organizations which comprise the testing industry, including the various publishers and developers of tests and also the test scoring organizations, is given. The concept of an assessment system…