Trying to understand PISA is analogous to the parable of the blind men and the elephant. There are many facets of the PISA program, and thus many ways to both applaud and critique this ambitious international program of assessment that has gained enormous importance in the crafting of contemporary educational policy. One of the facets discussed in…

Just like all the high-stakes tests that determine students' futures nowadays, The Chorizo Test is a standardized test rooted in the culture of the test makers. It was originally created to be used with students in teacher training programs to sensitize them to the pitfalls inherent in standardized pencil-and-paper tests, such as linguistic bias…

Assessing a high school's effectiveness is not straightforward. Comparing a school's standardized test scores to those of other schools is one approach to measuring effectiveness, but a major objection to this method is that students' test scores tend to be related to students' "socioeconomic" status--family household income, for…

Assessing educational outcomes is a matter of great importance for everyone in a society that relies primarily on public schools to shape the next generation of citizens. Given the vital nature of this task, it is imperative that the researchers who undertake it have an informed understanding of the measures used to evaluate educational outcomes.…

"Classroom Assessment in Action" clarifies the multi-faceted roles of measurement and assessment and their applications in a classroom setting. Comprehensive in scope, Shermis and Di Vesta explain basic measurement concepts and show students how to interpret the results of standardized tests. From these basic concepts, the authors then…

The use of Stanford Achievement Tests (SATs) with hearing impaired students is considered. Background of the test is given, and the SAT-HI (SAT for the Hearing Impaired) is discussed in terms of its content, item wording, and norms. Among six specific recommendations made are to use the SAT-HI because it minimizes floor and ceiling effects,…

Principal components analysis of standardization sample data for the Comprehensive Test of Adaptive Behavior, involving 6,647 persons with mental retardation, found that a single factor accounted for 86 percent of the variance in category scores. Use of the Total Score and idiographic item clusters is psychometrically preferable to use of category…

This handbook was designed to assist counselors, teachers, and administrators in using the Career Skills Assessment Program (CSAT) materials and services properly. Part 1 of the handbook, Guide to Use of the CSAP, is primarily concerned with understanding, interpreting, and applying the results of the program. Specific topics discussed in this…

This report is divided into two parts in order to make the practical outcomes of a content referenced interpretive system for standardized reading tests available for immediate use by teachers and others, while presenting the technical aspects of the studies in a form appropriate for study by researchers in the fields of reading and educational…

This booklet is designed to provide guidelines for testing in reading and suggestions for using the test results in ways which will most benefit the student. Ten canons are presented which are intended to serve as guidelines for program-related assessment within a framework of instructional decision making. They are concerned primarily with the…

Discusses the tensions resulting from the use of standardized test scores. Examines future educators' roles in testing. Considers history of standardized testing in the United States, the role of professional organizations, valid and invalid interpretations and uses of test results, effects on students and teachers, and the future of testing.…

The Alaska Statewide Assessment Test is administered to fourth and eighth graders every two years in reading and mathematics. Assessment Report 7 describes how the assessment process works, analyzing results, test content, results for 1983, and statewide average scores. A question-answer format is used to discuss the following: (1) Was students'…

A brief discussion of the concept of validity, a description of the nature and purposes of the Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED), and a rationale for the inclusion of ITED results as part of the overall program evaluation of a secondary school are presented. According to the authors, the ITED can validly be used as one of the…

Presented are abstracts and general information on 28 instruments useful for educational assessment of severely developmentally impaired students. An introductory section provides brief discussions on the limitations of the instruments, general rules for administering standardized tests, norm referenced tests, criterion referenced tests,…