This is the second of three volumes designed to cover the problems and issues of developing and managing a school assessment program. The series offers guidelines and illustrations of several special aspects of assessment programs, such as administering tests and documenting their results. This volume deals with the planning of assessment…

In March 1989, the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory entered into a contract with the Nevada Department of Education to develop this evaluation design for the Nevada Proficiency Examination (NPE) Program. The NPE program, mandated by state legislation, requires each school district to administer examinations in all public schools to…

Information is presented regarding the administration of the North Carolina Minimum Skills Diagnostic Testing Program. This testing program, mandated by the state's basic education program under the Secondary School Reform Act of 1984, checks the necessity for remediation by determining a student's mastery of specific objectives and diagnoses…

The technical and administrative processes and activities involved in scoring student responses to essay writing questions in the Massachusetts State Board of Education's basic skills program are outlined and discussed. After a general introduction to holistic scoring, separate sections describe the roles and activities of the administrators, the…

The experiences of state and local education agencies in implementing the RMC evaluation models in their evaluations of Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I programs are discussed with emphasis on the problems encountered, suggestions for resolving these problems, and encouraging results which have been reported. Four activities are…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is a longitudinal study designed to measure changes in the knowledge, skills, and understandings of young Americans, ages 9, 13, 17, and 26-35. This overview discusses some special aspects of NAEP, and explains its history and governance. (MH) Aspect of National Assessment (NAEP) dealt with in…

Testing program directors from approximately 100 randomly selected school districts in Ohio reported their perceptions of the testing competencies most needed to successfully manage their standardized testing programs and of the perceived value of their university training in developing these competencies. It was found that competencies associated…

The introduction of the trial state assessment program into the design of the 1990 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) raises questions about differences across states in sampling and administration practices. In addition, questions about the general approach to comparing state data to national data need discussion. Subject areas…

To portray the status of minimum competency testing programs nationwide; as of June 30, 1979, on-site visits were conducted with directors of all 31 state programs and 20 local district programs. Most programs were developed since 1976; 14 state and 13 local programs are fully implemented. The state board of education mandated 16 state programs;…

This resource document represents the integration of both practice and theory related to minimum competency testing (MCT), and is largely based on information collected in a nationwide survey of MCT programs. Chapter 1, To Implement or Not to Implement MCT, by Marcy R. Perkins, presents a definition of MCT and a discussion of the perceived…

This report is written for local educators who are responsible for the administration of the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) tests and for other people who are generally interested in the purposes and methodology of MEAP. The 1975-76 assessment will report 19 variables at the student, classroom, school or district levels, in the…

The work performed by New Jersey's Minimum Basic Skills Advisory Committee in studying the state's remedial programs is described. The committee's findings are summarized, as are its recommendations for enhancing program effectiveness. Descriptions of data collection activities involve interviews with representative school districts, major…

The report of a survey of testing practices in the school systems of the state of Connecticut is presented. Completed at the end of the 1973-74 school year, the survey constituted the second phase of a planned series of inquiries into evaluation programs and procedures at the local level. The general purpose of the investigations is to provide…

Little is known about the costs of setting up and implementing legislated minimal competency testing (MCT). To estimate the financial obstacles which lie between the idea and its implementation, MCT requirements are viewed from two perspectives. The first, government regulation, views legislated minimal competency requirements as an attempt by the…

The status of minimum competency testing programs, as of June 30, 1979, is given through descriptions of 31 state programs and 20 local district programs. For each program, the following information is provided: legislative and policy history; implementation phase; goals; competencies to be tested; standards and standard setting; target groups and…