This study examines the complex interplay between language ideologies and oral reading assessments for Black English-speaking students within Reading Recovery, a literacy intervention for first graders. Using a comparative case study, I analyzed the practices of three teachers to explore how they code, interpret, and adapt running record…

This document presents the results of a study on the socio-economic and educational status of blacks in Florida. Data are presented in the following areas: (1) black family demographics; (2) employment status and income; (3) test standards, performance and student tracking; (4) high school promotion, dropout and graduation rates; (5) special…

After a period of striving for equal educational opportunity and progress toward that goal, American society is now shifting toward more emphasis on educational quality. However, some fear that the rise of Minimum Competency Testing (MCT) may hinder rather than help minority students' opportunities for equal education. Despite gains in the number…

Proposition 48 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which calls for tougher academic standards for students seeking to participate in Division I athletics, discriminates against Black athletes and historically Black colleges and universities. Furthermore, the best athletes are not always the best students; the bill limits the…

A pilot of a reading test to be used in college entrance examinations for black South Africans showed how students' interpretation of the test differed as the social context was altered. The multiple meanings produced by shifting power relations call into question the test's validity. (SK)

It is now widely recognized, after the publication of four reports on the subject, that public education in the United States is in a state of crisis. This policy paper contends, however, that much of the debate on these reports has been based on distortions of their contents and challenges the current Administration's position which holds that…

Discusses two cases in which Black schoolchildren challenged the validity and cultural fairness of standardized, individually administered intelligence tests; Larry P. versus Riles and PASE versus Hannon. Describes the diametrically opposed outcomes of the decisions, highlights important similarities, and critically analyzes each court's reasoning…

Applies four measures of disparate impact (four-fifths rule, Hazelwood rule, Shoben rule, and rule of practical significance) to Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) performance data for racial/ethnic groups. Compares findings to data on school quality and math course completion by racial/ethnic group. (Contains 21 references.) (SV)

Examines the current models (genetic-deficit and cultural-deprivation) which explain IQ and achievement differences between members of the dominant and nondominant cultures. Concludes that both paradigms place blame on children and their families, and divert attention from the need to equalize wealth and power. (DA)

Mississippi students are now being tested at almost every grade level. Passage of the Functional Literacy Examination (FLE) will be a prerequisite for a high school diploma beginning with the 1989 graduating class. This emphasis on testing, without an accompanying commitment to ensuring all students equal access to a full academic core curriculum,…