Examines practices that encourage false negatives and false positives on licensing and certification tests designed to protect the public. Recommends increasing the amount of testing or raising the required passing score for repeat test takers. (FMW)

This analysis serves mostly to point towards some possible productive research areas giving priority to areas that are more easily manageable politically. These are more commonly located within the school context. (Author/AM)

Present discussion concerns the use rather than the content of tests. Four models of fair selection of tests are presented which describe the complexities of test fairness. Implications for the selection procedures practiced in our country are discussed. (Author/AM)

Discusses the problem of educational testing that results in differential educational opportunities for the disadvantaged. It critically examines the proposition that there may be ways to justify the decisions made on the basis of differential test performance that are consistent with the requirements of equality. (GLR)

Shares some lessons learned from performance-based assessment in the health professions, using four performance-based assessment methods as examples: (1) written clinical simulations (patient-management problems); (2) computer-based clinical simulations; (3) oral examinations; and (4) standardized patients (live simulations). (SLD)

Carefully collected, quantifiable evidence must be assembled regarding not only the content representativeness of a test but also the significance of that content. In addition, the concept of "adequacy of preparation" should be seen as separate from the issue of content validity. (Author/GC)

Argues that high-stakes primary grade testing increases pressure on low-achieving schools to improve test performance and increases chances that low achieving children will be retained in grade or classified as handicapped. It is suggested that current practices be modified to eliminate motives to engage in such placement practices. (SLD)

Because of the importance of standardized test scores in current definitions of educational achievement, pressure to raise test scores has affected their accuracy. Examines the causes of two major sources of test score pollution and their impact on education. Discusses the ethical status of documented test-preparation activities. (CJS)

Comments on the discussion by Ginette Delandshere and Anthony Petrosky of the numerical rating of complex performances in the context of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Early Adolescence/English Language Arts assessment. Conceptualizes the discussion in terms of matching information to purpose in testing. (SLD)

Responds to Susan Brookhart's comments on the discussion of assessing complex performances by Delandshere and Petrosky. Notes that the article focused on the meaning and usefulness of scores or ratings in the context of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards assessments. (SLD)

Two approaches of statistical testing are critically reviewed. A new approach, which is a hybrid of the two, is proposed. The new approach requires the researcher to think about the two types of potential inferential errors and an explicit alternative hypothesis of interest. (VM)

Authentic and direct assessment of performance and products are examined in light of contrasting functions and purposes with implications for validation, especially those of specialized validity criteria for performance assessment. The roles of positive and negative consequences of validation are underscored, along with the need for evidence of…

Examines, in a qualitative study, the role of mandated tests on elementary schools, describing in particular their emotional impact on teachers, who may suffer sanctions or loss of autonomy based on low test scores. Describes some of the curricular and methodological effects of standardized testing. (CJS)

Explores the cumulative impact of repeated standardized testing on student attitudes and motivation. By high school, a large number of students, especially low achievers, become disillusioned about tests, are less motivated to give genuine efforts, and increasingly use inappropriate test-taking strategies, undermining test validity and genuine…