This paper examines the utilization of construct validity in formative assessment for classroom-based purposes. Construct validity pertains to the notion that interpretations are made by educators who analyze test scores during formative assessment. The purpose of this paper is to note the challenges that educators face when interpreting these…

In conjunction with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (IDEA), the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (NCLB) calls for specific enhancements to existing assessment and accountability systems within definite timelines. The NCLB Act also stresses the use of reliable and valid data for decision making. The purpose of this study was…

This guide contains materials to help Delaware educators understand and use the reports from the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP). The tests of the DSTP are tied to the Delaware content standards that define the knowledge and skills required for Delaware students to succeed beyond high school. In spring 2002, the annual administration of…

This guide contains materials to help teachers understand and use the reports from the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP). In spring 1998, the Department of Education, in conjunction with Harcourt Educational Measurement, began its annual administration of the DSTP reading, writing, and mathematics tests for students in grades 3, 5, 8, and 10…

This guide contains materials to help Delaware educators understand and use reports from the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP). The DSTP tests are tied to the Delaware content standards that define the knowledge and skills required for students to progress beyond high school. In spring 2003, the DSTP reading, writing, and mathematics tests…

This study invesitigated possible reasons for the low performance on the text-based writing assessment of the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP) in 2000, especially for grades 3 and 5, and considered ways to improve classroom instruction. In the first part of the study, a panel of teachers reviewed the anchor papers from the assessment and…

This guide contains information to help teachers understand and use reports from the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP). The DSTP is designed to be a measure of progress toward Delaware's content standards that helps ensure that students can apply their academic skills to realistic, everyday problems. The DSTP aims to promote better…

Differences in the Texas Teacher Appraisal System scores of teacher subgroups over 2 years were examined for 2,366 teachers for scores on individual domains, sums of scores of the 1st 4 domains, and overall summary performance scores, as well as appraiser differences. Implications for teacher evaluation are discussed. (SLD)

The Delaware Student Testing Program ties student achievement to the state's content standards that define the knowledge and skills Delaware students need to succeed beyond high school. This report explains the testing program to teachers and presents a guide to interpreting test results. Section 1 introduces the testing program, which tests…