Several leaders in education have concluded that the United States should have some form of national achievement testing. Such tests are proposed as part of the "America 2000" education strategy. Believing that the experience of other countries will be useful to educators, policymakers, and concerned citizens, the National Endowment for…

Three supplements to the main report (December 1987) of the Task Group on Assessment and Testing in the United Kingdom are presented. The first report, "Reactions to the Main Report," examines the chief issues raised in public reaction to the main report. The national reaction has been largely positive and supportive. It is reaffirmed…

Research was conducted to investigate the in-school use of results of the Canadian Tests of Basic Skills reading and mathematics batteries administered in the elementary schools of the York Region Board of Education (YRBE). Interviews were conducted with school administrators, guidance counsellors, and teachers. Test uses included reporting…

This paper discusses the rationale for international comparisons in educational achievement, presents factors which affect the validity of such comparisons, and makes recommendations for the role of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) with respect to international studies. International comparisons are of interest in policy…

This document summarizes results of province-wide achievement tests given in Alberta, Canada in June 1987. These tests evaluated student achievement in third grade science, sixth grade mathematics, and ninth grade social studies. The test questions for each subject area reflected Alberta's curriculum specifications for that subject. The grade 3…

Art education in The Netherlands, which had been dominated by an expressive approach that emphasized creative self-expression, has recently changed its emphasis to reflect a discipline-based approach and the wish for more accountability in art instruction. Final examinations have been produced for secondary art classes, with the testing of art…

The first and second International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement Science Studies examined and compared science achievement in 19 and 26 countries, respectively. This paper considered 10 technical issues that arose in these 2 studies of science education and achievement. The issues discussed were the: (1) need for the…

Province-wide examinations as a graduation requirement were reinstated in British Columbia after a 10-year hiatus in 1983. This study assessed the impact of grade-12 subject examinations (embodied in the Provincial Examination Program) on students, teachers, administrators, employers, and the school system. Completed survey questionnaires were…

The system of standardized second language tests administered to Swedish junior and senior high school students is described. The tests are used to give teachers an idea of the performance levels of their entire classes, not individual students, for comparison with national norms. They are administered more than a year before the students leave…

The results of the May 1984 British Columbia Reading Assessment were presented in this summary report. Highlights of the survey, summary tables of important results, and conclusions and recommendations made by the Contract Team were outlined. The students in grades four, seven, and ten completed achievement surveys and attitude scales. Five…

The General Educational Development (GED) testing program has been a part of the Alberta High School Equivalency Program since 1981. Between December 1981 and December 1983, 4,333 applicants passed the GED in Alberta, and 802 applicants failed to pass the test. Random samples of 200 individuals from each of these groups were studied to determine…

The social Studies Assessment Program was a province-wide assessment of Social Studies concepts, skills, and attitudes in grades 3, 6, 9, and 12 in Manitoba (Canada) carried out during April, 1984. Designed to provide a profile of student performance on program objectives, the test was administered to a representative sample of students at each…

The Social Studies Assessment Program was a province-wide assessment of Social Studies concepts, skills, and attitudes in grades 3, 6, 9, and 12 in Manitoba (Canada) carried out during April, 1984. Designed to provide a profile of student performance on program objectives, the test was administered to a representative sample of students at each…

Educational standards, student achievement and basic skills are discussed. Various definitions of standards are given, and a definition which encompases individual differences is preferred. Educational research conducted in New Zealand indicates that there has been no sharp decline in academic achievement, although in primary- and…

A survey was conducted of achievement testing practices in the intermediate and senior divisions of French-language Ontario schools. Grades 7-8 and grades 9-10 were discussed separately. Department heads, administrators, and board of education members were interviewed concerning the availability and curricular validity of the French-language…