The Many-Facet Rasch (MFR) Model is traditionally used to evaluate the quality of ratings on constructed response assessments; however, it can also be used to evaluate the quality of judgments from panel-based standard setting procedures. The current study illustrates the use of the MFR Model by examining the quality of ratings obtained from a…

Developing a cognitive model of task performance is an important and often overlooked phase in assessment design; failing to establish such a model can threaten the validity of the inferences made from the scores produced by an assessment (e.g., Leighton, 2004). Conducting think aloud interviews (TAIs), where students think aloud while completing…

A Florida Department of Education R & D project, "Collection and Dissemination of Validated Community-based Career Guidance Practices," is presented with a focus upon four areas: (1) the project staff's 12 working definitions of community-based career guidance practices; (2) nine trends noted in the national survey being conducted; (3) selected…

This packet contains materials and lists resources to help those concerned with preventing students from dropping out of school. The packet begins with excerpts from a report prepared by the American Institutes for Research (Robert J. Rossi and others) on the "Evaluation of Projects Funded by the School Dropout Demonstration Assistance Program."…

Treatment Improvement Protocols (TIPs), developed by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), part of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), are best-practice guidelines for the treatment of substance use disorders. CSAT draws on the experience…

These appendixes are the second volume of a final report of a project to (1) demonstrate a model of appropriate vocational service for developmentally disabled adults and (2) provide technical assistance and training to community facilities serving these persons. (Volume 1, the report, is available separately. See Note.) Contents include an intake…

Presents a model of the cardiovascular system which solves a set of interacting, possibly nonlinear, differential equations. Figures present a schematic diagram of the model and printouts that simulate normal conditions, exercise, hemorrhage, reduced contractility. The nine interacting equations used to describe the system are described in the…

The Enterprise Zone-Preschool Inclusion Project (EZ-PIP) was a four-year demonstration project funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. The purpose of the project was to expand, implement, evaluate and disseminate a model program designed to promote the inclusion of young children with disabilities into…

This brief guide outlines best practices in preschool screening for the presence of possible disabilities. It covers: a definition of screening, its history, the rationale for screening, requirements for effective screening measures (reliability, validity, fairness, utility), models for preschool screening, evaluation of screening procedures, and…

Suggestions of roles and responsibilities are presented in this booklet designed to assist administrators in the implementation of career education in South Carolina. The first section gives South Carolina's concept of career education. Section 2 outlines the roles of the district superintendent, district coordinator, and school principal in a…

This report was prepared to provide information on school evaluation practices to the education community and the general public. It is intended to assist individuals in selecting school evaluation models that assess the dimensions and components of a school that are considered most relevant and most related to school improvement. Work on the…

This resource provides tools that are relevant to understanding the nature and scope of substance abuse. The tools are also meant to be helpful in identifying and guiding students who need help and in preventing substance abuse. The aids are grouped into five sections. Section I provides basic fact sheets on substance abuse among youth. Section II…