Before using the National Teacher Examinations (NTE) for teacher certification, states are required to conduct a state-wide validity study. This paper describes approaches used in 35 studies for 18 states to establish (NTE) content validity through curriculum and job relatedness and to establish minimum performance standards. (BS)

Procedures are presented for state departments of education and the local educational agencies to share the responsibility of showing that a minimum competency test is a fair measure of what is taught. It is recommended that the state lead in technical assistance, provide models, and monitor and evaluate the entire process. (CM)

Utilizing the Test of English Proficiency, developed by Seoul National University (TEPS), examined comparability between the paper-based language test and the computer-based language test based on content and construct validation employing content analyses based on corpus linguistic techniques in addition to such statistical analyses as…

Developed paper-and-pencil and microcomputer versions of prototype occupational interest inventory for academically disadvantaged or functionally illiterate adults. Compared results obtained from 30 such adults on the United States Employment Service Interest Inventory and both versions of the prototype inventory. Results revealed acceptable…

Describes the chronic and acute subscales (SOMAC and SOMAA) of the Chinese Somatic Scale that was administered to 2150 Hong Kong secondary education students to measure their psychological well being. Results showed that both the SOMAC and SOMAA had acceptable reliability and validity status as compared with similar type tests. (GG)

Examines changing population demographics in the United States, including shifting student demographic projections, and discusses student-testing issues resulting from these changes. The article reviews the historical context of testing ethnic students, testing special-education students, regulatory issues surrounding the testing of ethnic pupils,…

Evaluates the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in the visual arts, discussing issues such as the formulation of performance expectations and reporting procedures. States that, when exploring the scores, the context within which the arts are taught must be considered. Asserts that educational improvement requires changes in the…

Describes experiences of three second graders taking standardized achievement tests. Maintains that many children lose learning time and confidence over test results that are not adequately explained to parents. Argues that samples of children's work over time better document growth and that young children should be viewed in terms of widely held…

Researchers sometimes need a statistical test of the hypothesis that two values of Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient are equal. The situation may involve scores from two different measures administered to independent random samples or from the same measure administered to random samples from two different populations. Feldt derived a test…

Concerns and objections regarding minimum competency testing (MCT) are raised. The tests are criticized for their tendencies to: (1) deny variability in growth, development, and intelligence; (2) expose rather than constructively examine underachievers; (3) divert scarce personnel and financial resources to test administration; (4) ignore…

This article reports on the Pittsburgh Public Schools Oral Ratings Assessment for Language Students (PPS ORALS) project, a Title VI Foreign Language Assistance Program grant-funded project to create an online testing Software program that makes large-scale oral testing in a world language not only feasible, but also easy to create, administer, and…

As part of an effort to develop strategies for measuring institutional effectiveness, a study was conducted at West Virginia University at Parkersburg (WVU-P), a two-year institution with an enrollment of nearly 4,000 students, to determine the most appropriate instrument for measuring gains in general education between incoming freshman (i.e.,…

The validity of criterion-referenced interpretations of the proficiency scales of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is discussed. A major goal of the NAEP scales is to describe student achievement in specific content areas from grade 3 (age 9 years) through grade 11 (age 17 years). The numerical values for NAEP scales are…

Evidence of the validity of the National Teacher Examinations' (NTEs') Early Childhood Education Test (ECET) as it is used in the New York City School System is presented. The NTE Core Battery and Specialty Area Tests are used as part of the alternative process for teacher licensure in New York City. The ECET measures knowledge and skills required…

Legal issues at the state and constitutional levels and associated misconceptions related to written preemployment integrity tests are addressed. Common misconceptions include the beliefs that: (1) such tests fall within the purview of state antipolygraph statutes; (2) unfair discrimination doctrines are violated by integrity testing; and (3)…