The purpose of this study is to understand the common accommodations used during standardized motor assessment of children on the autism spectrum. This study was completed in three parts: (1) a narrative review of the literature; (2) an open-ended survey sent to the first authors of the identified articles; and (3) a descriptive analysis of…

On the basis of longitudinal data across 9 years, this study examined the contribution of sustained attention and executive function to the poor cognitive and socioemotional adjustment of school-age children whose mothers had depressive symptoms during the child's infancy. Mothers (N = 1,364) reported depressive symptoms across their child's…

In an October 22, 2010, speech to teacher educators at Columbia University's Teachers College, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan proclaimed that revolutionary change in the education of teachers is essential if the problems facing U.S. society and U.S. schools are to be solved. Toward the end of his speech, he declared that a standardized…

Background: Childhood obesity is a major public health threat. Increased fitness may have a positive influence on cognitive performance in both adults and children. Purpose: To examine which aspects of children's fitness assessment are associated with their performance on four different academic areas. Methods: FITNESSGRAM measures aerobic…

Competency tests may be invalid because people have different kinds of problems. In addition, these tests do not measure the competency of people who solve problems in unorthodox ways. (LS)

One of the goals in the Commission's Performance Assessment Framework for higher education is that all high school students in California receive an education that gives them the opportunity to enter a college or university. There are many possible measures that could be used to gauge preparation for higher education. These include SAT scores,…

Performed computations for each of nine age groups to determine the frequency in the standardization sample of specific Verbal-Performance discrepancies on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R). Discusses the importance and possible applications of such frequency data. (WAS)

This study examined the hypothesis that the Wechsler Verbal/Performance Intelligence quotient discrepancy would be larger or more frequent for persons classified as exhibiting a psychopathic delinquent adjustment than for persons classified as either neurotic or subculturally delinquent. (Author/PN)

Educators' confusion over uses of standardized tests is akin to mistaking pulse rate for the total effect of a health regimen. Using authentic standards and tests to judge intellectual ability is labor-intensive and time-consuming. What students need is a test with more sophisticated criteria for judging performance. Includes 37 references. (MLH)

Florida's testing program appears to be counterproductive to increasing the number of minority teachers. The high school diploma test, the ACT/SAT, university and teacher education admission score requirements, the "rising junior" test, and teacher certification and examination represent serious obstacles to minority students who want to teach.…

The fact sheet focuses on considerations when testing adaptations are needed, provides some facts about disability, and identifies a variety of adaptations of testing procedures which have been developed and successfully used in schools, vocational training programs, and on college campuses. Testing adaptations are discussed in terms of disability…

This report examines teachers' educational background and students' overall performance on the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat (TIMSS-R). Data analyses show that there are 17 Delaware classrooms performing above the average U.S. student score of 502. The majority of teachers in the top 10 higher performing classrooms had…

One major reason for the problems of test validation is an overemphasis on the need for empirical validity data, and a failure to recognize the primary importance of explicit verbal definitions of what the test is intended to measure and rational arguments in support of the means chosen for obtaining the measurement. (Author/LC)

In response to Ebel (TM 508 146) Gardner argues that neither intrinsic rational validity associated with ability tests nor a validity coefficient relating a test to performance as the sole information about validity is sufficient. All relevant data about a test and its functioning are essential in describing the validity of the test. (Author/LC)