This paper focuses on the use of alternative assessments at the state level with a focus on the Connecticut experience. Judging from the size of audiences attending sessions on alternative assessments at national conferences and the numbers of articles appearing on performance assessment in recent educational journals, it is obvious that there is…

This year the Center on Education Policy (CEP) analyzed data on the achievement of different groups of students in two distinct ways. First, it looked at grade 4 test results to determine whether the performance of various groups improved at three achievement levels--basic and above, proficient and above, and advanced. Second, it looked at gaps…

The Connecticut Mastery Test testing program assesses essential skills in mathematics and language arts, including listening, reading, and writing, for grades 4, 6, and 8. For grade 8, student achievement is measured and reported in relation to specific learning objectives (criterion-referenced) that students can reasonably be expected to have…