Management attorneys, from different law firms, outline the potential constitutional pitfalls involved in drug testing public employees, and then set forth the factors that most likely will support the validity of testing programs and that are consistent both with employee dignity and the Constitution. (MLF)

Reviews the "Quick-Score Achievement Test" (Q-SAT), an individually administered measure of school achievement for use with students aged 7-18, which has two forms and yields scores for reading, writing, arithmetic, facts, and general achievement. (SKC)

Concludes that the test has basic problems in construction, interpretation, validity, and reliability. (FL)

Two nested structural models are developed to determine whether test-session behaviors affect the manner in which intelligence is measured or influence the constructs being measured. Results indicate that test-session behaviors play a larger role influencing the mechanisms of measurement than on the constructs of intelligence. (Author/EMK)

In the specific methods of standard setting in testing, judgments about individuals being tested, contrasting groups being tested, and judgments about the test items are discussed. In judgments about individual test-takers, assumptions are presented based on the knowledge and skills the test is intended to measure, the test-takers' skills at the…

Reviews the Diagnostic Achievement Test for Adolescents (DATA), a test designed to be individually administered to estimate student achievement (for ages 12 to 18) in a variety of academic areas. Concludes that the test is well constructed and easy to use. (SKC)

Modifying standardized tests for students with disabilities is a complex issue. Tests should be modified only when alternative measures do not exist. Testing professionals should always be cognizant of the fact that whenever modifications are made, normative interpretations must be made very cautiously. In addition, the accommodations that were…

Describes the Reading Comprehension Interview, an individual interview procedure for gathering information about students' perceptions of classroom reading activities. Explains how it can help teachers gain insights into students' actual reading strategies. Contains a copy of the interview. (FL)

Concludes that the Spanish Oral Reading Test can be a useful tool for teachers who need to estimate the reading levels of immigrant children. (FL)

Coventional true score approaches to criterion-referenced tests are not applicable when tests are used for classification. Criterion-referenced testing is now used frequently for educational decision making. The assumption is made that these instruments are to be considered as tests designed to classify into "mastery" and "non-mastery" groups,…

In providing an alternative view to the previous article by Ward (TM 508 880), the author notes problems associated with adaptive testing, diagnostic testing, testing embedded in instruction, and testing through simulations. (BW)

Discusses the future of computerized adaptive testing (CAT), i.e., experimental tests developed by the Educational Testing Service in response to criticism of the Standardized Aptitude Tests (SATs). CAT examinations are individually tailored to each test taker, and researchers believe they are more predictive than conventional SATs. (JJD)

Reasons why there are few incentives for test publishers to make significant innovations in what is tested or how it is tested are given. A brief discussion of research on growth spurts in the brain, hemispheric differences, and other neurological phenomena is followed by a discussion of some conclusions drawn from this work. While skepticism is…

Examines what it takes to build a "learning community" designed to help all children receive a quality education on equal terms. The characteristics of communities of learners are described, and barriers to developing democratic learning communities are shown in the areas of leadership, testing and grouping, parent participation, and the…

Legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act mandates testing accommodations in order to ensure that examinations accurately reflect the abilities of a person. This document describes different types of testing for hearing impaired and visually impaired. Individualized testing accommodations such as changes to the test directions,…