This guide is designed to assist States, agencies, and/or facilities who work with youth who are neglected, delinquent, or at-risk (N or D). The information in the guide will benefit those who are (a) interested in implementing pre-posttests, (b) in the process of identifying an appropriate pre-posttest, or (c) ready to evaluate current testing…

A computer adaptive test (CAT) is a delivery methodology that serves the larger goals of the assessment system in which it is embedded. A thorough analysis of the assessment system for which a CAT is being designed is critical to ensure that the delivery platform is appropriate and addresses all relevant complexities. As such, a CAT engine must be…

Proposes a system of achievement testing for all U.S. students rather than just those who are college bound. Criticizes present achievement testing as a patchwork system that fails to provide parents with information about how much their children are learning in comparison to others. Provides a sampling of national achievement test questions from…

Lists comprehensive guides, catalogs, and printed and online databases for use by individuals who do not have an extensive background in tests and measurement. The guides provide lists of tests for specific subject areas, grade levels, and purposes. The article includes availability information for resources. (SM)

This publication identifies and examines existing assessment instruments in oral communication for K-12 and higher education, and abstracts and describes assessment instruments and systematically reports their availability and interest to scholars, teachers, and administrators. It also provides background research needed to develop oral…

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of four item selection rules--(1) Fisher information (F), (2) Fisher information with a posterior distribution (FP), (3) Kullback-Leibler information with a posterior distribution (KP), and (4) completely randomized item selection (RN)--with respect to the precision of trait estimation and the…

Described is how tests that accompany texts can be effective if items selected relate to topics stressed in class. Identified are problems commonly found in these types of tests and directions on how to improve problem questions. (KR)

An authority on student assessment says the ability of public schools to meet federal expectations will depend on the instructional sensitivity of the tests in use. Offers a six-step blueprint for carrying out a public-information campaign about NCLB tests. Lists websites for two reports by five national education associations on instructionally…

In 1992, the Leon County School District in Tallahassee (Florida) began a review process to select a new norm-referenced test. The selection process was efficient and functional, and may be of interest to other school districts. Consideration was given to a variety of sources through the following process steps: (1) establish the norm-referenced…

The Middle Childhood HOME (MC-HOME) Inventory is designed to measure the quality and quantity of stimulation and support available to a child in the home environment. It is an interview/questionnaire that is individually administered to the primary caregiver while the target child is awake and present. The instrument is intended to be a sensitive…

Following a discussion of the basic skills required for an adaptable work force and how employers and workplace literacy providers determine which employees require basic skills training, this paper reviews three literacy instruments that can be used in workplace basic skills programs. A basic skills profile is drawn based on a review of the…

This publication (in both English and French versions) on learner assessment in workplace literacy programs begins with a discourse on some dimensions of the testing question. It discusses three major approaches to assessment in the broader area of adult literacy that can shed light in the domain of workplace literacy: traditional, competency…