Assessment items are commonly field tested prior to operational use to observe statistical item properties such as difficulty. Item parameter estimates from field testing may be used to assign scores via pre-equating or computer adaptive designs. This study examined differences between item difficulty estimates based on field test and operational…

Designers have a limited selection of K-12 online course creation standards to choose from that are not blocked behind proprietary or pay walls. For numerous institutions and states, the use of the iNACOL "National Standards for Quality Online Courses" is becoming a widely used resource. This article presents the final phase in a…

States with an alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS) that received a flexibility waiver from some of the requirements of No Child Left Behind are required to phase out their use of this assessment. And, on August 23, 2013, the U.S. Department of Education published a proposed rollback of regulation that allowed the…

Between March and June of 2014, the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium conducted a field test of its new online assessment system. Thirteen participating states provided the results of surveys given to students and adults involved in the Field Test. Overall, more than 70% of test coordinators in each of seven states indicated that the Field…

Preparing all students for success requires a renewed emphasis on supporting high-quality teaching, on using data to inform decision-making, and on creating a culture of high expectations. To support the shift toward college and career readiness, more than 45 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).…

This 5-year multisite mixed-methods evaluation study chronicles the field-testing of the planning process Guidelines for Selecting Alternatives to Overreliance on Paraprofessionals in 26 schools (Grades K-12) in six states. Evaluation of the utilization and outcomes of the guidelines process was based on data from 472 study participants. Findings…

This article discusses the theoretical framework, instructional design, formative assessment results, capacity for national distribution, and generalization of the Blending Assessment with Instruction Program (BAIP) model to other content areas such as science. The BAIP, developed and validated at the University of Kansas, employs technology to…

This article describes the development of and directions for using a 16-item screening tool designed to assist cross-stakeholder school teams in determining the extent to which they may be over reliant on special education paraprofessionals or using them inappropriately. The content of the tool is based on contemporary, descriptive research…

This article examines Umgeni Water's External Education Unit (EEU) to explore the potential of one approach to environmental education. The EEU uses a simple water quality monitoring kit to educate communities on the state of their rivers and catchment areas and warn them of potential dangers facing users of untreated water. (LZ)

Advocates the use of randomized field trials to evaluate the effectiveness of educational reform programs. To be useful, evidence from randomized field trails must be disseminated to policymakers and the public. Provides graph showing that since its inception, the "American Education Research Journal" has published only 35 articles…

This article examines the role that field testing plays in environmental measurements now and for the future. Such issues as when field testing should be conducted, the reliability of field tests, regulatory acceptance, cost efficiency, and the use of mobile laboratories are reviewed. (LZ)

A brief background on indoor radon and the health risks associated with radon exposure, with special emphasis on nonresidential buildings. One school district's experience in radon testing and monitoring is included. (MLF)

The author suggests that, by acting locally in various ways, students are better able to transfer what they have learned to an understanding of global concepts. The purpose of the On-Site Science Program is to show K-12 teachers how to use their campuses as environmental laboratories. (LZ)

Presents a two-part instructional materials selection process for public schools, incorporating a field trial phase and based on considerations from the design and formative evaluation of competency-based instruction. A comparison between the materials selection guidelines published by the state of Florida and the paper's own recommendations is…

A procedure was developed for on-site evaluation of replications of exemplary programs that emphasized the replication of the functions accomplished rather than the processes performed. Program functions are defined as operational purposes. A functional analysis begins with identifying program components; describing them fully; and then listing…