This article identifies three areas of guidance activity that have been subjected to court censure because they involved violations of the civil rights of students. The areas are (a) testing and placement, (b) suspension and expulsion, and (c) student rights of self-expression. The situational examples and related case law are presented for each…

Points out that the most evident way of measuring students' understandings of writing is to have them analyze or synthesize a piece of writing. (MB)

Many of the recent appeals for educational improvement place great reliance on standardized tests as instruments of reform. The appropriateness and interpretation of these tests remain unresolved issues. Concepts of cognitive psychology should be integrated into the development of intelligence and achievement tests. (Author/VM)

Explains the design and development of BISTATS, a computer application using dBASEIII for compiling bibliographic instruction statistics that was developed at State University College at Buffalo. Highlights include system design and development, data items included in the records, programming procedures, and testing and modifications. (LRW)

Discusses the status of the testing of computational estimation. Suggests ideas to promote needed immediate actions and examines issues related to effective assessment of computational estimation. (PK)

The thrust of most state initiatives is to encourage higher education institutions to undertake their own local assessment. Two kinds of state-wide testing are emerging: (1) basic skills assessment of entering students for access, placement, and remediation, and (2) testing to improve the curriculum. (MLW)

Reports on the new foreign language requirements at the University of Minnesota. These requirements include establishing entrance standards and strengthening the graduation requirements, both of which are based on language proficiency. Workshops to train teachers in testing under the ACTFL Provisional Proficiency Guidelines are described. (SED)

Presents the theory of general language proficiency and looks at the construct validation of cloze tests and C-tests. Describes the defects of classical cloze procedures. Gives an example of the C-Test and discusses its empirical validity. Concludes that C-tests are authentic tests of the construct of general language proficiency.

Approaches to developing the college curriculum and teaching techniques to cultivate or enhance the student's capacity for abstract logical reasoning are discussed, and their implications for testing and faculty development are explored briefly. (MSE)

The Children's Anxiety Scale (CAS) was examined for bias in internal consistency reliability and item content for Anglo-American and Mexican-American kindergarten students. Results suggest equal test reliability for both groups, but also indicate caution must be exercised in interpreting CAS scores of young male children. (DWH)

A British polytechnic's first experiences with having one segment of a major examination be known to students ahead of time is discussed, and an empirical comparison of this and the traditional test type is presented. (MSE)

Policies now being enacted by many states to reform teacher education include testing, alternate routes to certification, scholarships and loan forgiveness, incentives, and overhauling certification packages and institutional standards. However, these policy initiatives are not likely to provide many lasting benefits, based on performance to date.…

Broad-based effective schools research suggests a school excellence model attributing student achievement to principal leadership, a positive school climate, the primacy of basic skills, high teacher expectations, an assessment and monitoring system, and the integration and coordination of the real and ideal curriculum and student assessment. (DCS)

Determined if differences in performance on a posttest (in which sections differed in use of manipulative models to answer questions) were attributable to differences in reasoning levels of chemistry students (N=105). Results indicate that reasoning may affect performance under conditions of constant instruction. (JN)

Gifted and talented youths' educational needs are so extensive that acceleration, enrichment, individualization, and counseling services are required. The Gifted Education Resource Institute at Purdue University has been developing programs and helping others throughout the midwest to develop programs to meet the needs of these youth. (MLW)