A simple act of motivation priming can significantly impact the validity of test results, which is crucial for institutional accountability. The progression of the studies discussed in this article illustrates a clear trajectory of building upon previous findings to refine and expand the understanding of motivation priming when gathering…

A school in Virginia serves students with significant cognitive disabilities (SWSCDs) whose full scale IQ scores are 40 and below. The problem is the SWSCDs were administered the Virginia Alternate Assessment Program (VAAP) and did not perform well from 2017 to 2019. As a result, the school did not receive state accreditation. The purpose of this…

We examined if students' understanding about the purpose and use of institutional assessment scores was affected by moving to remote testing due to COVID-19. Moreover, we examined if students' knowledge about the purpose of outcomes assessment related to their effort on these tests. If knowledge about accountability testing and effort were…

It appears that schools and families are at a crossroads when it comes to testing. High-quality assessments generate rich data and can provide valuable information about student progress to teachers and parents, support accountability, promote high expectations, and encourage equity for students of color and low-income students. But it is…

Item response time data were used in investigating the differences in student test-taking behavior between two device conditions: computer and tablet. Analyses were conducted to address the questions of whether or not the device condition had a differential impact on rapid guessing and solution behaviors (with response time effort used as an…

"The Condition of College and Career Readiness" looks at the progress of the 2016 ACT®-tested graduating class relative to college and career readiness. This state briefing begins with statistics in the following categories for Virginia: performance, STEM, career readiness, impact, behaviors that impact access and opportunity, pipeline,…

This study examined the feasibility of administering GED Tests using a computer based testing system with embedded accessibility tools and the impact on test scores and test-taker experience when GED Tests are transitioned from paper to computer. Nineteen test centers across five states successfully installed the computer based testing program,…

In this article, we explain how overly prescriptive, rigid state statutory and regulatory policy frameworks regarding teacher evaluation, tenure and employment decisions outstrip the statistical reliability and validity of proposed measures of teaching effectiveness. We begin with a discussion of the emergence of highly prescriptive state…

In December 2015, President Barack Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which replaced No Child Left Behind (NCLB), as the nation's major law governing public schools. ESSA retains the requirement that states test all students in reading and math in grades three through eight and once in high school, as well as the requirement that…

Factor mixture models are latent variable models with categorical and continuous latent variables that can be used as a model-based approach to clustering. A previous article covered the results of a simulation study showing that in the absence of model violations, it is usually possible to choose the correct model when fitting a series of models…

This report provides information about the performance of Virginia's 2016 graduating seniors who took the ACT as sophomores, juniors, or seniors; and self-reported at the time of testing that they were scheduled to graduate in 2016. Beginning with the Graduating Class of 2013, all students whose scores are college reportable, both standard and…

The National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) has been serving the career and technical education (CTE) community for almost 45 years. It is in the unique position to produce longitudinal data that indicates technical competence levels based on end-of-program testing across the country. NOCTI's data confirms that CTE is indeed…

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 requires states to test students in reading and math and identify them as below proficient, proficient, or advanced. Schools are held accountable only for ensuring that students test proficient or better (both considered passing), leading to concerns that a focus on increasing the percentage of students testing…

This case exemplifies the effects of high stakes standardized testing and accountability on education and stakeholders. When schools are pressured for success, educational leaders and teachers often find themselves in circumstances where regulations and procedures are violated, sometimes with noble intent. The case focuses on the ethical and…

The "Measuring College and Career Readiness" report for each state represents a snapshot of the ACT-tested graduates in the class of 2009 and focuses on their readiness for college and careers. Designed to inform policymakers and practitioners about selected indicators of effectiveness, the report is not intended to be comprehensive but…