Whenever performance assessment has been introduced into statewide testing programs, various potentially paralyzing difficulties have been encountered surrounding test accuracy, reliability, validity, or suitability. Programs in some states have been discontinued or placed in jeopardy. It is uncertain whether educators can overcome these problems…

This paper critically reviews the concept of multipotentiality as it is applied in the literature on gifted children. Findings from a study of 1,000 gifted students are cited; above-level assessment of abilities and preferences revealed markedly differentiated profiles for 95% of students studied, suggesting that the term…

A social sciences paradigm for defining "wicked problems," which are aggressive but not clearly defined, is applied to the evaluation of college instruction. It is proposed that the construct is useful in planning for college faculty evaluation procedures and that prompt action is needed. (MSE)

Examines seven criticisms of standardized achievement tests, including their failure to promote student learning, predict individual students' performance, and match test content with curriculum content. However, a teacher's insights into her students' learning, combined with properly interpreted standardized test results, can provide a balanced…

Determined strength of relationship between social desirability, psychological distress, and consumer satisfaction with mental health treatment in 82 clients in therapy. Results indicated that both consumer satisfaction reports and psychological distress scores were contaminated by socially desirable responding. (Author/ABL)

Presuming that test scores can accurately reflect educational quality is naive and potentially dangerous. Sophisticated statistical procedures cannot fully separate the effects of confounding background variables (ethnicity, language proficiency, or poverty) from test scores. A broad-based assessment model relying on multiple indices and…

Standarized, multiple-choice tests have become the major criterion for a wide range of school decisions affecting student placement, curriculum format, and teaching style. Improved assessment will not reform education. The more insightful and powerful the assessment tool, the more damage is caused by its misuse. Includes 70 references. (MLH)

A recent study analyzing 6,942 items from the Stanford achievement batteries determined that few general cognitive operations were included in the items analyzed. The general cognitive operations that were found had little to do with the items' difficulty. Students are not being taught certain necessary, but untested, cognitive skills. Includes 23…

Reviews two tests which highlight important trends in the assessment of learning disabilities, and presents potentially valuable, practical developments in assessment. Identifies the recurring problem of the lack of a theory, construct, or clear definition to guide the assessment of learning disabilities. (MG)

"Tests in Print IV" is a two-volume comprehensive master index of commercially published separate test titles in print that are available for purchase and use. There are over 3,000 entries, the majority of which originated in the United States. It is an invaluable resource for English-speaking test users. (SLD)

This paper reviews the psychometric properties, treatment utility, and conceptual basis of instruments used to identify the functions of aberrant behaviors in people with developmental disabilities. Instruments include the Motivational Assessment Scale, Motivation Analysis Rating Scale, Functional Analysis Interview Form, and Functional Analysis…

Wisconsin's General Educational Development score requirements are the highest in the United States. Data from 480 test takers before the raised standards and 480 after show the latter group studied more weeks, received significantly higher scores, and had more postsecondary education and employment opportunities. The failure rate increased by 50%…

Offers a brief history of an attempt to establish predictive test validity with holistic scoring of writing tests. Asserts that holistically scored writing samples may be practical for some local purposes, but they must be used judiciously. Suggests monitoring the validity of local tests with statistical packages and using teacher ratings as…

The routine epsilon approximate test in repeated measures designs when the condition of circularity is unfulfilled uses an erroneous formula in the case of two or more groups. Because this may lead to underestimation of the deviation from circularity when the subject number is small, a correction is proposed. (Author/SLD)

Thirty states which administer criterion-referenced tests to students with visual impairments were surveyed to determine types of accommodations they allowed in their testing programs. The survey addressed aspects of the test setting, test scheduling, test directions, test format, answer mode, and mechanical and nonmechanical aids. (Author/JDD)