This article explores the relationship between the lack of visible attention to formative assessment in degree specifications and its marginalization in practice. Degree specification documents form part of the quality apparatus emphasizing the accountability and certification duties of assessment. Ironically, a framework designed to assure…

Local assessment systems are being marketed as formative, benchmark, predictive, and a host of other terms. Many so-called formative assessments are not at all similar to the types of assessments and strategies studied by Black and Wiliam (1998) but instead are interim assessments. In this article, we clarify the definition and uses of interim…

Assessments labeled as formative have been offered as a means to improve student achievement. But labels can be a powerful way to miscommunicate. For an assessment use to be appropriately labeled "formative," both empirical evidence and reasoned arguments must be offered to support the claim that improvements in student achievement can be linked…

In many school districts, the pressure to raise test scores has created overnight celebrity status for formative assessment. Its powers to raise student achievement have been touted, however, without attending to the research on which these claims were based. Sociocultural learning theory provides theoretical grounding for understanding how…

Offers consideration of the relationship between a responsive approach to the evaluation of educational programs and a personalized approach to the assessment of student achievement. Explores responsiveness as a motif for inquiry about program quality and student accomplishment, emphasizing the relationship between the two. (SLD)

Analyses were conducted replicating pilot work examining the feasibility of using the Louisiana's educational assessment data in concert with the Louisiana Educational Assessment Data System (LEADS) database and other associated databases to assess teacher preparation programs. The degree of matching across years and the degree of matching between…

Describes the concept of school readiness and considers the purpose, content, and process of assessing children's school readiness. Notes that early childhood assessment is undertaken for numerous purposes but that these purposes are not always clear. Delineates different purposes for collecting data and discusses critical principles that could…

A general approach to environmental education evaluation and practical knowledge about the area of educational evaluation are offered in this teacher's guide. An introductory section explains both the use of the guide and use of a four step evaluation process. Practical aspects of evaluation are highlighted in six chapters through specific…

Formative evaluation focuses on program modification based on ongoing measurement of student progress. The literature on formative evaluation for mildly handicapped students indicates that four measurement dimensions are critical: (1) focus of measurement; (2) frequency of measurement; (3) data display; and (4) data utilization methods. (Author/CB)

The Texas "Families First" project was started to accomplish the following: (1) strengthen the capacity of local family literacy projects to design, support, and administer high quality programs by leveraging resources from several agencies in the state; and (2) finalize the indicators of program quality (IPQs) in early childhood…

A literature review examined how literacy programs can assess their effectiveness by looking at outcomes and using this information. Very few empirical studies showed the impacts of literacy programs or identified predictors of program success. One reason was the lack of common criteria for evaluating performance. One evaluation issue was whether…

This report discusses the purposes and nature of various forms of assessment that can be used to enhance, support, and monitor the progress of science learning in elementary school classrooms. Chapters included are: (1) "Introduction" (describing assessment priorities); (2) "Issues in Assessment" (discussing validity, correspondence between…

Since 1983 the Migrant Education Program Evaluation (MEPE) has collected data about migrant children in summer programs throughout the state of Illinois. Testing is done during the summer months with migrant students in grades 3, 5, and 7. Preliminary screening identifies students who are limited-English speakers, and they are excluded from…

This overview of educational evaluation in the Netherlands provides background and details the state of the art in student, curriculum, and innovation evaluation. The role of international evaluation issues (such as evaluation criteria and the decision-making process) in evaluation theory and practice in The Netherlands is discussed. (BS)

Elementary school principals rated attitudes and behaviors concerning the utilization of student achievement data: (1) commitment to influencing student achievement; (2) control in utilizing student achievement data; (3) use of data to evaluate programs and teachers; (4) effectiveness and accountability in use of data; and (5) principals' own…