Presents conclusions of an independent measurement expert that the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) was constructed according to acceptable professional standards and tests curricular material considered by the Texas Board of Education important for graduates to have mastered. Also supports the validity and reliability of the TAAS and…

This study was patterned after a previous study by Skaggs and Lissitz (1992) in which inconsistency of differential item functioning (DIF) was reported across test administrations. They suggested multidimensionality of test data as one possible reason for inconsistency. Therefore, in this study, DIF indices which were developed recently with a…

This study compares logistic discriminant function analysis for differential item functioning (DIF) with a technique for the detection of DIF that is based on item response theory rather than the Mantel-Haenszel procedure. In this study, the areas between the two item characteristic curves, also called the item characteristic curve method is…

Under the Improving America's Schools Act (IASA), Title I programs are evaluated using standards-based multiple measures. In California, school systems would like to use state standards for the evaluation, but state performance standards are still under development and content standards are very new. The Sacramento City Schools (California) has…

As part of the test development process, this technical report is intended to present the technical aspects of the tryout and pilot stages of the Michigan High School Proficiency Test (HSPT) in mathematics. Part 1 introduces the purpose, the legislation, and the committees involved in the test development. Development of the mathematics assessment…

As part of the test development process, this technical report is intended to present the technical aspects of the tryout and pilot stages of the Michigan High School Proficiency Test (HSPT) in Science. Part 1 introduces the purpose, the legislation, and the committees involved in the test development. Development of the science assessment…

The Michigan Educational Assessment Program presents an untimed, 70-question Social Studies Test (Form 35) for grade 4 students to assess social studies skills. This document contains the test booklet only. (PN)

The Michigan Educational Assessment Program presents an untimed, 100-question Social Studies Test (Form 95) for grade 10 students to assess social studies skills. This document contains the test booklet only. (PN)

The utilization of the third grade achievement data reported by the California Assessment Program (CAP) to schools was studied. All elementary school principals in California were surveyed in 1979 regarding the uses they made of the report. Over 70 percent used their score reports to compare results across years looking for trends. Other common…

Until recently, many students with disabilities were excluded from large-scale assessments, such as those mandated by states. Recent federal and state policy initiatives, including the most recent reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, require that the large majority of students with disabilities be included in…

This report, the fifth annual report on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP), provides policymakers, educators, parents, and the community with a general accounting and precise overview of the performance of Colorados third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth grade students relative to the Colorado State Model…

Using a random sample of 1,000 Colorado teachers, this study surveyed the effects of standards, the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP), and school report cards on instruction and test-related practices. Findings show that standards were perceived to have greater impact on improving instruction than did testing. Teachers said they aligned…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requires state programs to adopt standards for all children, including those with disabilities, in state and district-wide assessments with the provision of appropriate and necessary accommodations. For students who cannot participate in state and district-wide assessments, the law requires that…

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…

A mixed modal study was conducted that compared the results of Mississippi Biology subject area mean scores of students that used 4X4 block, A/B block, and traditional year-long schedules in large, medium, and small-sized schools. This research also explored data about whether schedule configurations allow sufficient time for students to construct…