Last May, the seven most recent New York State Teacher of the Year award winners joined the 1993 recipient in sounding the alarm bell over the state's new plan to stake 40 percent of teachers' performance evaluations on students' standardized test scores. In their letter to Chancellor Merryl Tisch and the state Board of Regents, the teachers said…

For decades, performance-based budgeting has been applied to evaluate the degree to which government programs and agencies are meeting their stated goals in a cost-efficient manner. The same thinking is applied to public education. In today's times of tight budgets and higher expectations, public schools are being asked to justify their budgets…

Superintendents' performance evaluations continue to be too frequently conducted through a highly informal, subjective process, based more on impressions than data. Several states require school boards to use student performance data in evaluating their superintendents. Student achievement data, focusing on continuous improvement, should certainly…

Idaho's second largest school district adopted a computerized version of the achievement tests it had been using in paper-and-pencil form for students of grades 3-12. Two of the most significant benefits of the computer-based testing program are the timeliness of the data and the ability to monitor student progress. The district worked closely…

Describes one Illinois school district's efforts to develop multiple school and student performance measures that go beyond standardized test scores. (PKP)

The best way to overcome parents' anxiety and possible anger over new assessment methods is to use good teaching practice. This means knowing the teachable population's needs, setting appropriate objectives for them, providing instruction in an appropriate, engaging manner, and giving opportunities to practice and question instructors. A visual…

Two school districts in Washington State are seeing fundamental shifts in the learning process by using technology as a tool to support data-centric instruction. An effective student-assessment strategy includes comprehensive information about student progress, analysis of assessment information so specific instructional strategies can be…

Describes rationale and attributes of local assessment program to augment statewide testing programs. Describes several steps to develop and implement a local assessment program, including setting priorities and goals, meeting with state officials, developing budgets and funding sources, forming development teams, providing professional…

Howard Gardner is known for his theory of multiple intelligences, which holds that each individual's unique smartness cannot be measured by conventional IQ tests. Even the best students have flawed theories about existence and human behavior. Schools teach and assess everybody as though each has the same kind of mind. The ATLAS project respects…

A big problem with performance tests and standards is their specificity, or lack of generalizability. "Keeping no secrets" and "teaching to the test" for performance tasks and traditional tests are absolutely necessary if schools are to prepare students adequately to meet performance standards. This nontraditional approach…

The time demands of authentic tasks and consistent scoring pose technical and practical challenges. Involving teachers in test development and scoring helps them grasp what is expected, gain familiarity with examples of standards-based practice, and discover new ways to assess their students' work. Costs are considerably higher than for…

As principals become more accountable for student achievement, evaluation policies and procedures should be carefully crafted. Evaluation should focus on school improvement, be performance-based and aligned with job junctions, define performance expectations, promote buy-in and collaboration among administrators, promote growth and improved…

Northwest Evaluation Association in Portland, Oregon, consults with state and local educators on assessment issues. Describes several approaches in place at school districts that are using some combination of computer-based tests to measure student growth. The computerized adaptive test adjusts items based on a student's answer in "real…

Since 1987, Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) Public Schools' Propel project has been using student portfolios to integrate assessment with learning and is now piloting portfolio assessment for public accountability. Unlike Vermont's system, which asks for students' best work, Pittsburgh's assessment reflects what the community typically expects from its…

Performance-based assessment is more multidimensional, interdisciplinary, continuous, performance-based, and curriculum-related than traditional testing. The San Diego Unified School District is actively involved in developing the new California Assessment Program, participates in the California Assessment Collaborative, and is a partner in the…