This framework document describes the content and format of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics assessments of 1996, 2000, and 2003. Five content strands are discussed in the NAEP mathematics assessment: (1) number sense, properties, and operations; (2) measurement; (3) geometry and spatial sense; (4) data analysis,…

Several recent studies have investigated the application of statistical inference procedures to the analysis of differential item functioning (DIF) in test items that are scored on an ordinal scale. Mantel's extension of the Mantel-Haenszel test is a possible hypothesis-testing method for this purpose. The development of descriptive statistics for…

Under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), all public school districts, campuses, and the state are evaluated annually for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). The Texas AYP plan meets the requirements of the NCLB, maintains the integrity of the Texas assessment program, and provides a mechanism for evaluating district and campus AYP in 2003. Following…

In the United States, standardized educational tests have been used for assessment purposes in grades K through 12 almost since the inception of the testing movement in the early 1900s. Because test-based assessment can have wide-ranging positive or negative effects on K-12 students, the test user must ensure that the tests used for assessment…

This guide to program evaluation presents questions that illuminate aspects of the evaluation process. Issues to consider in program evaluation are: (1) the intended results of the program; (2) hypotheses about the possible results of the program; (3) the types of data that will indicate achievement of the intended results and the variables that…

This paper describes the experiences of Colorado Springs School District Eleven in using multiple measures to determine if third graders were reading at "grade level." The use of multiple measures may be threatened by the rapidly increasing pressures about assessment and accountability in Colorado that teachers are beginning to feel that…

The progress of students and schools in California is examined by reviewing the state's recent test history and the state's progress in creating a sound, standards-based assessment system. The story about California is mixed. Overall performance on the Stanford Achievement Test, ninth edition (SAT-9) shows that the state average, overall grades…

The purpose of the Idaho Direct Mathematics Assessment (DMA) is to measure Idaho students' mathematical problem-solving skills, including their ability to apply basic skills to problem-solving situations as stated in the Idaho Achievement Standards document. Problem solving is valued as an essential tool for success in a complex, modern world. The…

Critical analysis of an article that attempts to refute the claims of Sesame Street'' concerning its educational value for children from poverty areas, (Author/MF)

Evaluating medical students' bedside observations and interpretations of a simulated patient. (PG)

Person-centered evaluation is based on trust and openness rather than fear of mistakes and failure and enables teachers to create a safe learning climate for children. (Author/MB)

The Munificent Hexagon is an oral gaming-examination that generates avid participation on the part of the student and stimulates intense interaction between instructor and student. This is seen to be an important antidote to the anonymity threatening academia. The gaming examination proves useful for course evaluation and testing. (Author)

With the recent government regulations and emphasis on validity of all instruments used for selection and promotion, it appears that testing programs such as that described in this article are going to be essential factors in establishing effective and acceptable assessment centers. (Editor)

Results of a study involving 13 color-deficient and 15 color-normal pupils in grades three through six, show no evidence of relationship between color vision and achievement. Supports findings of previous studies by Lorenz and McClure (1935), and Shearron (1965). (CJ)