This study describes enrollment and achievement trends of limited English proficient (LEP) students in New Jersey public schools between 2002/03 and 2008/09. It documents achievement gaps between LEP and general education students in language arts literacy and math. The study's main findings include: (1) From 2002/03 to 2008/09, LEP student…

The topic of this booklet is the current programs in equivalency testing in English, their inherent problems and any possible solutions. Papers which were presented orally at the Texas Conference on Placement, Exemption, and Credit in English consist of "Societal Demands for the Program of Placement, Exemption, and Credit"; "Grounds…

This document describes the trends in statewide assessment programs. It is based on surveys conducted for the Council of Chief State School Officers. Assessment directors from the 50 states were asked to provide information about the current state of assessment programs and to describe how the programs have changed over the past 6 years, including…

Offers a historical perspective on testing in U.S. education, arguing that nationwide emphases on student assessment have been linked to vacillations in public confidence in the nation's educational system. Compares the focus on assessment that followed the expansion of secondary education between 1890 and 1935 with the current assessment…

The collaborative efforts of the Council of Chief State School Officers and the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory have resulted in the State Student Assessment Program (SSAP) database. Information is collected annually about student assessment programs in each state, both in the area of traditional testing and in nontraditional…

Presents a review of developments in aesthetic education and discipline-based education and their impact on art education. Asserts that current trends and events suggest that major changes in art education could occur. Concludes that standardized testing of art learning is one possible result. (CFR)

Five years of state test results for Pennsylvania are examined, focusing on differences among elementary schools in which a majority of students do not master basic learning skills. Data are provided for 1,505 elementary schools in about 500 districts. The largest learning problems occur in about 10% of the schools; these schools have been…

In 1991 the collaborative efforts of the Council of Chief State School Officers and the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory resulted in the current form of the State Student Assessment Program (SSAP) database. This report marks the third year of that partnership, which builds on earlier data collection efforts to present information…

The 1997 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) included provisions specifying that states and districts must include students with disabilities in their assessment systems with reasonable accommodations, that states report on the performance of students with disabilities with the same detail and frequency they report on…

Analysis of several national surveys found that states collect a tremendous amount of data on educational outcomes, but little on the status of students with disabilities. Trends toward increasing local control concerning decisions of testing participation and accommodation strategies were found. The need for carefully planned inclusion of…

For the past seven years, Missouri has been administering the Missouri Mastery and Achievement Tests (MMAT) to fulfill the requirements of the Excellence in Education Act of 1985. The MMAT, as a criterion-referenced test, can measure student progress on specific key skills over time. This summary presents results of the spring 1993 administration…

Testing and assessment that are "more authentic" (performance-based or alternative) represent the most pressing issue in education today. Some of the major criticisms leveled at standardized testing are examined, and the advantages and disadvantages of more authentic assessment are reviewed. A general direction for integrating traditional and…

An outline of remarks made at a National Seminar on Equity and Educational Testing and Assessment in March of 1993 is provided. Issues of equity in education and educational assessment are discussed in the context of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The NAEP is a national test in the sense that it monitors what is happening…

In September 1962, the State Board of Education initiated a broad annual study of the academic achievement and scholastic aptitude of West Virginia public schools called the State-County Testing Program. The results of this program in Region II West Virginia schools for 1965-66 - 1969-70 are analyzed to: 1) identify discernable trends; 2) find any…

The Canadian Education Association sponsored a study to review and synthesize the literature on student evaluation; investigate changes in goals and methods; and make recommendations for improvement. Interviews were conducted in six provinces with administrative personnel, principals, and teachers. Employers and post-secondary institutions, as…