Compare problems are the most difficult type of word problems among primary school students, especially inconsistent problems, when the relational term is not consistent with the arithmetic operation required for the solution. The present study examines whether different methods help students successfully solve them and how these approaches…

Linking score scales across different tests is considered speculative and fraught, even at the aggregate level. We introduce and illustrate validation methods for aggregate linkages, using the challenge of linking U.S. school district average test scores across states as a motivating example. We show that aggregate linkages can be validated both…

Given the importance of large-scale assessments to educational policy conversations, it is critical that subpopulation achievement is estimated reliably and with sufficient precision. Despite this importance, biased subpopulation estimates have been found to occur when variables in the conditioning model side of a latent regression model contain…

This article describes a novel variation of the Body of Work method that uses construct maps to overcome problems of transparency, rater inconsistency, and scores gaps commonly occurring with the Body of Work method. The Body of Work method with construct maps was implemented to set cut-scores for two separate K-12 assessment programs in a large…

Research suggests low mathematics achievement is due to unfocused, unbalanced methods of instruction teachers have used in traditional methods of instruction. Balanced mathematics programs were developed as an answer to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of traditional math instruction…

Use of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) in school classrooms and conference rooms is increasing. To evaluate the effectiveness of IWBs as a tool for Extension education, two groups of 3rd and 4th grade Minnesota students (n=325) were taught nutrition using traditional methods or IWBs. Significant increases in knowledge and behavior were observed in…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the use of a method of distractor analysis for diagnosing item error response patterns and determine the effect of this intervention on student achievement levels on state administered spring mathematics assessments. Distractor Pattern Functioning was the treatment provided to teachers in this…

Assessing silent reading fluency in classroom environments is challenging. This article reports on a method of assessing silent reading using underlining, an approach that solves many problems other silent reading fluency assessment measures face. This method computationally monitors readers' silent reading fluency by the speed they underline…

The purpose of this study was to discover and compare perceptions of three different groups of Indiana elementary educators concerning the importance of areas of the principal's literacy knowledge base, as well as responsibility for and use of this knowledge by principals to adequately support effective research-based literacy instruction. The…

We offer a methodological illustration for researchers and practitioners of how to conduct a development study consistent with the parameters delineated by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES; U.S. Department of Education [USDE], 2010) to explore the utility of an existing Tier 1 intervention applied as a Tier 2 support within a three-tiered…

This presentation explains and illustrates how computer-based innovative test tasks are designed in a multi-semiotic environment to effectively and comprehensibly convey meaning to students, especially English language learners (ELLs), students with learning disabilities (LDs), selected other students with disabilities, and non-identified native…

Randomized trials of educational interventions often face logistical hurdles (Cook, 2002). For example, sometimes they are prevented from reaching their full-term. This would happen if, as a condition of participation, subjects insist on receiving the treatment program within a certain timeframe. This timeframe may be shorter than the full-term…

Background: To attain accurate information about student performance, teachers must apply sound classroom assessment practices. First, teachers need to be able to understand and identify the purpose of their assessments. Teachers also need to provide their students with clear learning targets, in language that students can easily understand, so…

Performance on standardized writing assessments indicates that less than one-third of American K-12 students are proficient in writing. Despite this statistic, the current emphasis on reading in elementary schools means preservice elementary teachers may observe little writing instruction during field experiences. This article presents the results…

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) continues to be interested in addressing the issue identified by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). With the release of the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reading and mathematics assessments, NCES again had the opportunity to measure the status and change in…