An administrative rule allowed students who failed an exam to retake it shortly after, triggering strong `teach to the test' incentives to raise these students' test scores for the retake. We develop a model that accounts for truncation and find that these students score 0.14 standard deviations higher on the retest. Using a regression…

One of the most important questions in education research is whether the gains from interventions for which perceived short-term success can be sustained. The possibility of short-lived impacts is especially relevant for research on charter schools, where charter operators who face high-stakes assessments have an incentive to "teach to the…

This quiz and its explanations are designed to help teachers and counselors assist students in deciding the meaning of their scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test and the American College Test. (BW)

Describes two short lessons on individual objectives (main idea and fact/opinion) to prepare 10th graders for the Spring exit test. (SR)

College-bound students in Japan undergo a process of intense preparation known as "examination hell." An extreme manifestation of "examination hell" is the "ronin" phenomenon. Typically 30% of students choose the "ronin" option under which they spend years in addition to high school preparing for the next…

Piedmont High School is a small high school in rural Alabama, which serves a primarily white population and has a high dropout rate. PLATO computerized instruction has been used by almost 200 skill-deficient students, and 4 teachers have used it. After using PLATO, Piedmonts struggling students are much more likely to pass the Alabama High School…

Evaluates and compares five software packages designed to help students prepare for the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Program name, hardware needed, format, current price, and source are provided. Comments on program documentation are also provided. (JN)

Offers tips for preparing for and doing well on the SAT. (FL)

Describes computer programs designed to help students prepare for such tests as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the American College Testing Program's ACT Assessment. Includes list of special benefits the computer can provide in several areas as well as reviews of several programs. (JN)

Used several alternative analytic methods to estimate the effects of coaching on Scholastic Assessment Test I scores in a sample of more than 4,000 examinees, approximately 500 of whom had attended formal coaching programs. All estimates suggest that the effects of coaching are far less than claimed by major commercial test-preparation companies.…

A practicum addressed the high percentage of high-level high school students not making minimum Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) verbal scores required by area colleges for placement in regular college course work. Two advanced sophomore English classes received 12 weeks of instruction with five components, including the use of: (1) the College…

This study investigated the effects of two practice reading methods (an ACT [American College Test]-prep program) on the performance of 11th grade students (N=43) on an ACT science portion mockup sub-test. A pre-test, treatment, post-test with control group design was used in the study. The treatments included that students read the ACT science…

As an action research project, a program was developed to improve test-taking skills to increase standardized test scores. The targeted population was high school juniors in a small Midwestern community in west central Illinois. The problem of low standardized test achievement was documented through data that revealed that students fell below the…

The majority of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students are not attaining the ACT scores they are aiming for, which they need to qualify for scholarships and college acceptance. This report looks at the reasons behind students' low performance and what matters for doing well on this test. CPS students are highly motivated to do well on the ACT, and…

Examined how coaching affects the predictive validity and fairness of scholastic aptitude tests. A coached (n=271) and uncoached (n=95) group were compared. Comparison revealed that although coaching enhanced scores on the Israeli Psychometric Entrance Test by about 25% of a standard deviation, it did not create a prediction bias or affect…