This report is designed to provide consistent reliable indicators to allow analysis of educational trends in each state over time and to provide high quality data to provide comparable information from state to state. The accessible indicator formats are designed for increased uses by a variety of audiences. The report contains two-page profiles…

This paper focuses on the state of the law as it concerns adults with disabilities regarding educational issues. Sections 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 are addressed and legal issues are examined, including: (1) the definition of disability; (2) documentation of disability; (3) financial…

This directory is intended to provide technical assistance for Nevada school districts and other evaluators of preschool children in selecting appropriate instruments to use in the multidisciplinary process for special education eligibility. It is not a list of approved tests, and tests not listed in this directory may be appropriate for…

This exploration of gender and test fairness first considers ways in which women and men sometimes differ in test performance, and then examines some of the aspects of why they differ, focusing on aspects that have implications for the design of fair tests. The first chapter introduces the context of the topic, the nature of test fairness, and the…

A random sample of 113 members of the American Vocational Education Research Association (AVERA) was surveyed to obtain baseline information regarding AVERA members' perceptions of statistical significance tests. The Psychometrics Group Instrument was used to collect data from participants. Of those surveyed, 67% were male, 93% had earned a…

As mandated by Congress, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) surveys the educational accomplishments of U.S. students and monitors changes in those accomplishments. NAEP tracks the educational achievement of 4th, 8th, and 12th graders over time in selected content areas, and has been tracking achievement for 30 years. The goals…

An experiment investigated the extent to which the results of out-of-level testing may be biased because the child given an out of level test may have had a significantly different curriculum than the children given in-level tests. Item analysis data suggested this was unlikely. (CTM)

Studies published since 1965 on the relationship between classroom behavior and academic achievement are reviewed. Criteria are established for selecting the studies, the research is assessed, and recommendations for future research are made. (MH)

Discusses the structure, reliability, stability, validity and usefulness of the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) and the results of factor and regression analyses of data collected using the NBAS. (Author/BH)

This article explores the relationships between vocabulary knowledge and text readability. It discusses how procedures used by readability formulas to assess the vocabulary factor can over- or underestimate text difficulty by counting syllables rather than assessing what the reader knows about the words in a text. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Critics charge that the use of standardized examinations for initial teacher certification fails to measure teacher competency accurately and results in high failure rates for minorities. Compares minority bias review panels in Illinois and Pennsylvania, and finds greater minority involvement and attention to minority culture in Illinois' test…

A new approach to the quantification and interpretation of change when only repeated cross-sectional data are available--the Trajectory Analysis of Matched Percentiles--is presented. A recent attempt to interpret the findings on reading achievement of the National Assessment of Educational Progress is critically analyzed. (SLD)

Reviews research on detection of cheating by students on multiple choice tests. Discusses three ideas concerning detecting, deterring, and confronting cheating. Discusses problems confronting teachers attempting to use statistical data to prove cheating. (CFR)

Provides a literature review on the use of entry assessment, citing those who consider assessment tantamount to tracking and those who see it as constructive assistance. Offers examples of two colleges that use assessment to provide remedial and nonremedial students with equal options, and an inducement-based model emphasizing early prevention.…

The proliferation in intelligence tests brings with it several problems of misuse. It is proposed that the use of intelligence testing devices be restricted to persons who can demonstrate competence in administration and interpretation. Legislation is required to provide control of test distribution and requirements for licensing test…