This overview of the Alaska system for test development, scoring, and reporting explored differences and similarities between norm-referenced and standards-based tests. The current Alaska testing program is based on legislation passed in 1997 and 1998, and is designed to meet the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Legislation. In…

Multiple measures may mean multiple opportunities to show achievement or the use of multiple assessment formats. A third meaning is the use of assessments from different sources, such as augmenting an external, usually commercial assessment with a state's own assessment. The first two meanings of multiple assessments have been explored…

This document provides guidelines relative to the appropriate administration of and preparation for the State Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program norm-referenced tests in the San Diego City Schools. The STAR tests are norm-referenced tests, and this document is intended to assure that standardized conditions in testing mirror the…

A manual is presented to familiarize the teacher with the two major components of the New Mexico evaluation effort: (1) the objective-based procedure and the tests used to measure a school and district's progress toward those objectives, and (2) the statewide testing program which utilizes norm-referenced tests and provides both individual and…

The preliminary draft of a formal program evaluation model for special education operations in Pennsylvania is presented. Beginning chapters provide a review of literature on norm-referenced measurement, an illustration of formal and informal program evaluation in a learning disabilities context, descriptions of general implementation strategies…

This study was designed to contribute to the validity evidence for the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL) by providing additional descriptive data about the performance standards in reading and mathematics at grades 4, 7, and 10. After the realignment of norm-referenced tests, large numbers of students taking the WASL had…

Means of interpreting norm-referenced tests to lead to more accurate reporting results are discussed, with particular emphasis on state-level and district-level data. Suggestions fall into the categories of documentation, frequency norming, and multiple form use. (TJH)

Kentucky is reintroducing the norm-referenced, multiple-choice test. Students will be given both performance and multiple-choice tests, beginning in spring 1997. Kean believes this multiple-measures approach is a common-sense way to provide the measurement-driven accountability that most states require. Neill deplores multiple-choice testing and…

What is meant by "accountability" varies a great deal. It is not, however, the tools such as merit salary plans, voucher plans, and management techniques that are used to achieve accountability. Accountability has from its earliest days been tied to testing. In discussing testing, it is necessary to discuss the pros and cons of standardized, or…

Test publishers have promoted their commercially available, norm-referenced achievement tests as viable solutions to assessment challenges faced by states. They argue that their tests are developed professionally, and, therefore, possess sound psychometric properties not often found in state-specific efforts. This study compared judgments from two…

Articles in this issue vary widely in method, content, and sample size, but come together to produce a valuable collection of knowledge about education in the Pacific Basin, with emphasis on issues of under-representation. The articles are: (1) "Effects of a Culturally Competent School-Based Intervention for At-Risk Hawaiian Students"…

In 1998, the Stanford Achievement Test Series, Ninth Edition, Form TA (Stanford 9) was administered to Virginia students in grades 4, 6, and 9 as the norm-referenced component of the Virginia State Assessment Program. As in the previous year, from 93 to 96% of Virginia's students took the Stanford 9, although the first administration was taken by…

Studied longitudinal changes in performance at both the student and school district level in major content areas of a widely used norm-referenced grade-level testing program. Used data from grades 3 to 4 and from 7 to 8 of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (in Iowa). Reports descriptive statistics and empirical norms and reliability estimates for…

This paper addresses itself to the history and use of standardized aptitude and achievement tests for practical judgements about schools in New Jersey. In the author's opinion, school-wide aptitude testing is not a particularly useful practice when other types of information, particularly grades, achievement tests, and teacher's comments, are…

This study was conducted to determine whether norm-referenced test data and Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) data from 1995 and 1999 showed similar gains in reading and mathematics achievement. TAAS data were collected from all students in Texas who were in the accountability subset of scores used for rating schools, approximately…