The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to discuss the variety of factors which should be considered in establishing a testing program; and (2) to summarize some of the basic features of testing programs in Wisconsin public school districts. An effective district-wide testing program should consist of at least the following seven elements:…

A series of questions designed to challenge school administrators to reconsider the purposes, selection, use, and interpretation of tests and test results in their school programs. (Author/DN)

The selection, administration and results of a statewide school readiness test in South Carolina are described in this report. As one component of South Carolina's Basic Skills Assessment Program, the "Cognitive Skills Assessment Battery" (CSAB) was chosen to distinguish those children who are ready for the formal first grade curriculum…

The testing manual for middle and secondary schools of the School City of Gary is provided. The manual is divided into five parts: (1) rationale of the citywide testing program--selection and classification decisions, evaluation of treatments and verification of hypotheses, selection of tests, and general testing principles; (2) preparation for…

The history and development of city-wide testing programs in Chicago since 1936 are reviewed and placed in context with the impact on testing of Sputnik and the passage of the National Defense Education Act of 1958. Current testing problems include the time lag between events and curricular changes and new test construction, the time lag between…

This paper reports the results of a survey conducted in the spring of l981 that was designed to collect and summarize guidelines on appropriate test use from the various organizations, agencies, and associations involved in standardized educational testing. The primary objective of the study was to learn how these various groups define the issues…

This handbook is designed to serve as a resource for Alaskan district-level administrators in charge of planning, implementing and monitoring districtwide student assessment programs. The information is divided into 10 chapters, including: (1) aligning assessment with curriculum and instruction; (2) planning an assessment program; (3)…

Specific recommendations are made concerning the circumstances under which the benefits of out-of-level testing outweigh the problems associated with it. Topics explored are: various methods for deciding when a set of test scores is invalid and the utility of these methods for local evaluators, the accuracy of vertical scaling, and the usefulness…

A statement of the major issues surrounding the use of standardized tests in schools is provided, covering the following areas of concern: (1) the major types of standardized tests and how they differ from teacher-made tests; (2) the role of standardized tests in education; (3) administering/scoring standardized tests; (4) interpretation of…

Measurement is presented here as a means of enabling health and physical education programs to assume their place as indispensible phases of the educational process. Measurement is considered vital to health and physical education programs; teachers in these fields are admonished to turn to measurement activities as readily and as naturally as…

The Virginia Community College System established an ad hoc committee to review its testing program. Each member college was polled as to the areas of skills, potential, or aptitude it desired measured in each of seven curricula areas. The detailed responses of each college are included in the report. The committee established the following…

Although many parents remain unfamiliar with the testing programs offered in their children's schools, recent surveys show that parent groups are becoming increasingly interested in the critical issues surrounding testing. Parents should assume responsiblity for monitoring the progress of their children and learn the facts about standardized…

This guide is part of a series designed to assist school personnel to profile their data to support local school decisions. The profiling process can be used in school improvement programs. This particular guide describes the measurement of student attitudes toward schooling, about one's schools performance, about feelings toward school as a place…

This resource guide was designed for teachers and administrators in Arizona school districts to assist them in preparing functional and meaningful programs of student achievement testing. The format of the guide is based on fundamental questions often posed by educators regarding norm-referenced and criterion-referenced testing. Particular…

The first annual administration of Oklahoma's School Testing Program is described, and the results for 1985-86 are summarized. The Metropolitan Achievement Tests were administered in grades 3, 7, and 10. Extensive appendices, which make up the bulk of this document, present: (1) suggested learner outcomes for the subjects tested--reading, language…