In this technical report, data are presented on the predictive and concurrent relation between various student demographic variables (gender, race/ethnicity, special education status, Title 1 status, English language learning status, and economic disadvantage) and three reading easyCBMs (passage reading fluency, vocabulary, and multiple-choice…

"Classroom Assessment in Action" clarifies the multi-faceted roles of measurement and assessment and their applications in a classroom setting. Comprehensive in scope, Shermis and Di Vesta explain basic measurement concepts and show students how to interpret the results of standardized tests. From these basic concepts, the authors then…

The rise of criterion-referenced measurement from 1970 to 1984 was an important period in test development. Since 1984 there has been less research published on criterion-referenced measurement, but there is ample evidence that the concept remains important, especially in the authentic measurement and performance assessment movements. (SLD)

This is an age of backlash, as illustrated by many developments in the field of education. Backlash against performance assessment is very evident, but it must be remembered that backlash has its uses. It forces advocates to rethink, reformulate, and restate why they put so much faith in the program under attack. Events have pushed advocates to…

This book addresses the roles assessments play in education and provides detailed descriptions of the common assessment types, norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests, and alternative assessments. Chapter 1 discusses the current arguments for and against the various methods of assessment, the quality requirements for test instruments, and…

There is presently much disagreement about how students should be evaluated effectively to determine their progress. Some common methods are reviewed, including standardized tests and performance-based evaluation such as portfolios. Continuous experimentation is necessary in the effort to develop better measurement approaches. (SLD)

Three expert panels reviewed the 1991 Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP) reading test. This was the first year of an assessment program designed to measure school progress toward, among other content areas, three reading outcomes: reading for literary experience, reading to become informed, and reading to perform a task. The…

The approach to assessment taken by the Colorado Springs (Colorado) Public Schools is outlined. Colorado Springs has taken a position similar to that advocated by the National Council on Educational Standards, that of multiple means of assessment applied in a dynamic and responsive manner. This approach in Colorado Springs is called Purpose Driven…

The three chapters of this handbook are designed to insure that any school can use teacher-made tests and performance assessments as components of a learning assessment plan. Focus is on criterion-referenced achievement tests developed in Illinois for assessing the cognitive and psychomotor domains of learning. The initial chapter is designed for…

The Association of State Assessment Programs, an informal association of state assessment directors, began collecting information about large-scale assessment programs in 1977. This report is a continuation of that effort that is currently conducted by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory and the Council of Chief State School…

This paper describes the development of a criterion-referenced, performance-based measure of third grade reading comprehension. The primary purpose of the assessment is to contribute unique and valid information for use in the formative evaluation of a whole literacy program. A secondary purpose is to supplement other program efforts to…

The literature on issues of the reliability and validity of objective and performance assessments in vocational education and training was reviewed and synthesized to develop guidelines for procedures to enhance reliability and validity. The review established the following facts: (1) validity is determined largely through inferences made by both…

While Illinois educational officials developed a uniform assessment manual to accompany standardized tests, a companion handbook was developed by a consultant for use with teacher- and district-made tests. Criterion-referenced or mastery tests were the subject of the handbook. The handbook was designed to assess content validity as well as provide…

A review of educational measurement journals indicates that the decade of the 1970s and up until about 1984 was the time when substantial numbers of studies dealt with criterion-referenced measurement, and the era in which criterion-referenced measurement advances were made. Although there appears to be less interest in publications today, a…

This handbook is designed to provide Ohio's vocational teachers with guidelines and materials for assessing student performance in the areas of academic, occupational, and employability skills. Chapter 1 examines assessment in the context of the educational reform agenda and efforts to link assessment and instruction and reviews the purposes of…