This report and compilation of papers summarizes information collected by an Assessment Development and Use Project, initiated by the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory (NWREL) to assist test development efforts by state and local agencies. Specific item banking applications are reported in two case studies, selected because they represent…

This technical report describes the procedures followed in developing the tests used in the California Assessment Program, the underlying principles of the program, the statistical characteristics of the tests, and the evidence that has been accumulated relating to the validity and reliability of the tests. The report also presents complete…

This resource document represents the integration of both practice and theory related to minimum competency testing (MCT), and is largely based on information collected in a nationwide survey of MCT programs. Chapter 1, To Implement or Not to Implement MCT, by Marcy R. Perkins, presents a definition of MCT and a discussion of the perceived…

A method of developing measurement instruments to assess academic achievement in proficiency-based education is presented. Materials and exercises are sequenced to correspond to major activities which must be completed in developing local assessment systems. The exercises contained in this workshop guide have been field tested and can be followed…

A procedure which employs a method of item substitution based on item difficulty is recommended for developing parallel criterion referenced test forms. This procedure is currently being used in the Florida functional literacy testing program and the Georgia teacher certification testing program. Reasons for developing parallel test forms involve…

Two reports on the current status and future trends of state assessment programs are presented. Among the results summarized for 1977-1978 and also presented in chart form for the 41 states which administer testing programs are: 19 programs are mandated by state legislatures; 22 programs test all students in the grades or ages assessed;…

This report was prepared for the specialist who, well acquainted with the concepts and statistics of educational measurement, needs technical information about the Admissions Testing Program of the College Entrance Examination Board. It brings together the findings of a considerable number of studies of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the…

The 63 items on skills in acquiring and using information from written documents contained in the Survey of Young Adult Literacy in the 1985 National Assessment of Educational Progress are analyzed. The analyses are based on a qualitative cognitive model and an item-response theory model. (TJH)

This collection of five symposium papers explores the initial design and development of the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations. The papers refer to work in progress to assess knowledge and skills associated with subject-matter knowledge and knowledge and skills in instruction and the profession of teaching. The following papers are…

In 1984, the Connecticut General Assembly authorized the creation of mastery tests in mathematics and language arts (listening, reading, and writing skills) for grades 4, 6, and 8. Criterion-referenced tests were developed to assess the essential skills that should be mastered at the end of grades 3, 5, and 7 and to identify students in need of…

In 1984, the Connecticut General Assembly established mastery tests in mathematics and language arts (listening, reading, and writing skills) for grades 4, 6, and 8. A criterion-referenced test was considered most appropriate for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of every student. The specific skills to be mastered were identified by…

This manual contains preliminary information, largely of a technical nature, about the enhanced American College Testing (ACT) Program introduced in October 1989. It focuses primarily on the tests of educational development, the component of the program that has been substantially revised. Although one-third of the ACT Interest Inventory Items has…

In 1985, for the first time, Pennsylvania's student assessment program included measures of a higher order thinking skills goal termed Analytical Thinking. These tests utilize a decision-making model to assess such skills as drawing inferences, identifying appropriate information to gather before making a decision, analogical reasoning,…

Connecticut's Basic Skills Proficiency Test, administered for the sixth time in October 1985, measures reading, language arts, mathematics, and writing skills. The test was intended to identify students who require further diagnosis and remediation in order to participate successfully in ninth grade classes. Results indicated that over 90 percent…

This paper presents the dual approach to item bias detection employed in the Maryland Functional Testing Program (MFTP). Using instructional objectives mandated by the Maryland State Board of Education, the MFTP develops two levels of the Maryland Functional Reading Test (MFRT) and the Maryland Functional Mathematics Tests (MFMT). These…