This case study shows how testing in Mississippi is used as an effective part of a statewide accountability and instructional improvement program. By using criterion-referenced testing as one aspect of a program evaluation requirement, Mississippi is basing instructional improvement on student performance. (Author)

Examines the policy initiatives of the National Curriculum and the National Assessment and Testing programs in Great Britain. Argues that school-based teacher assessment and centralized testing lend themselves to professional accountability and market accountability. Concludes that an official policy of advocating both methods will create…

Scotland, like many countries, has a system of externally-administered syllabus-based examinations, set at two points: the end of compulsory schooling, which serves as a basis for entry to junior college "non-advanced further education" (mainly vocationally oriented); and at the end of grade 12, which serves as a basis for admission to…

This paper presents two examples of how methodological research in testing and evaluation simultaneously served the needs of both researchers and practitioners. The first example focuses on Center for the Study of Evaluation (CSE) research in writing assessment. This research investigated issues in domain definition, cognitive processing…

This is a descriptive study of the activities, statistics, and decisions made regarding the re-testing of six inner-city elementary schools, based on results of a norm-referenced achievement test given in the Cincinnati Public School district in April, 1985. Three statistical operations were performed on test data from the Design for School…

The Stanford Achievement Test (SAT), Test of Academic Skills Level I was administered to 10,186 tenth grade students in Hawaii during fall 1984. This two-section report presents findings from the SAT's mathematics subtest. This subtest measured students' competency in these nine areas: numbers, symbols, and sets; number properties and operations…

The Stanford Achievement Test (SAT), Intermediate Level II, was administered to 11,077 sixth grade students during fall 1984. This two-section report presents findings of the SAT's three mathematics subtests. These subtests measured competency related to: (1) mathematics concepts (number, notation, operations, and geometry/measurement), (2)…

Intended for use by school administrators, guidance counselors, teachers, and proctors, this manual contains general information on Regents examinations and competency tests. Specifically, the regulations and procedures for ordering, administering, rating, and reporting results of these examinations are described. Information is also included…

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF AGE, HEIGHT, AND WEIGHT OF PUPILS WERE INVESTIGATED TO FORM A BASIS FOR AN IMPROVED CLASSIFICATION INDEX TO ASSIST IN EVALUATING PHYSICAL FITNESS TEST SCORES. THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION, AND RECREATION (AAHPER) YOUTH FITNESS TEST WAS ADMINISTERED TO…

The staff of the Program on Teaching and Linguistic Pluralism at the Center for Educational Research at Stanford University has been involved in a number of research efforts related to the teaching of reading and other language arts skills to Black Vernacular English speaking pupils. These efforts have culminated in the development of a number of…

This bulletin describes two phases of an experiment in examining science, one in 1963, and the second in 1964. The first phase of the experiment explored two forms of assessment: a Scientific Thinking paper; and a Practical paper. In the second phase two further factors were introduced: a Facts and Principles paper; and an Assessment of course…

Examines trends in science testing and discusses its impact on science instruction. Presents data on each state's assessment program in science for grades K-8. Identifies the type of test, grade tested, the scope and frequency, and the contact person for each of the 50 states. (ML)

In 1982, Lansing (Michigan) Public Schools took the stance that their low Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) scores were not reflective of what their students really knew and that, with some short- and long-range planning, scores would improve dramatically. The districtwide effort is briefly described here. (BW)

Testing has almost completely lost its identity as a device to increase access to college for the underprivileged. Testing today is seen as a device to deny access. Intelligence is randomly distributed among the rich and the poor, and testing helps remove privilege as a guarantee of success and advancement. (MLW)