Since 1988, Vermont has been developing a state assessment program, the centerpiece of which is the student portfolio and "best pieces" drawn from it. The state's use of portfolio results will be limited to reporting aggregates, but within schools, teachers and principals may use the portfolios as they choose. The assessment program,…

In 1991-92 Vermont initiated a statewide portfolio assessment program in mathematics and writing in grades 4 and 8. An evaluation of the program found mixed results--although the portfolio scores were unreliable for individual or school-level reporting and teachers had concerns about implementation, the assessment had marked positive effects on…

This publication explores the relationship between state systemic reform initiatives and state student assessment programs using a database established by the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory and interviews with state assessment directors in California, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Texas, and Vermont. States throughout the country are…

This paper gives an overview of the methods of moderation, or quality assurance and quality control, as they may be more widely known, that are used to enhance the quality of student assessment. The discussion is based on the educational systems of the United Kingdom but is applicable to assessment in other countries. Quality in assessment is seen…

This digest focuses on going beyond multiple choice testing to the development of methods for assessing complex knowledge and performances. Newly designed assessment systems must accurately measure and promote the complex thinking and learning goals that are known to be critical to students' academic success and their eventual sustained…

The manual is addressed to teachers, administrators, and teacher trainers helping students learn through a non-native language by integrating language and content. This audience may include English-as-a-Second-Language, bilingual education, or content (e.g., science, math, social studies) teachers with limited-English-proficient students in…

Alternative assessments, also called authentic or performance assessments, have first the common notion of a meaningful performance or product. The use of such alternatives with students belonging to nondominant language and cultural groups is of interest because of the hope that this type of assessment can show what these students can really do…

While Illinois educational officials developed a uniform assessment manual to accompany standardized tests, a companion handbook was developed by a consultant for use with teacher- and district-made tests. Criterion-referenced or mastery tests were the subject of the handbook. The handbook was designed to assess content validity as well as provide…

Entrepreneurship courses commonly use various kinds of group work, cooperative learning, study circles and study teams. A major challenge of this pedagogy is the unbiased grading of group members based on the accountability of individual performances. This paper provides an approach to using student peer assessment to provide feedback on…

This report presents the findings from the 2004 formative evaluation of the Youth Employment Strategy (YES). It is based on the fieldwork and analysis that was conducted by Consulting and Audit Canada between September 2004 and December 2004. The report is organized in five sections: Section 1 provides background on the YES and on the evaluation…

The "Formative Evaluation of the Canada Student Loans Program" was undertaken to assess issues of program relevance, design and delivery and for the purposes of examining the early impacts of changes made to the program since 1998. The evaluation also reviewed the Performance Measurement Strategy contained in the July 2002 Results-Based…

New research conducted by Boston's Center for Collaborative Education documents significant achievement by students who attend the city's Pilot Schools. Pilot School students are performing better than the district averages across every indicator of student engagement and performance, including the statewide standardized assessment (MCAS). In…

This issue of "EFF Voice" was assembled by the staff to share with their readers some of the ways their partners are using Equipped for the Future (EFF) to help adults build the skills they need to be successful in the workforce today. Readers will learn about how states like New Jersey are using EFF to craft a common vision and a common…

An inclusive, learning-friendly environment (ILFE) welcomes, nurtures, and educates all children regardless of their gender, physical, intellectual, socio-economic, emotional, linguistic and other characteristics. "Inclusive" in the school setting generally refers to the inclusion or children with disabilities into regular classrooms designed for…

These Illinois skill standards for the banking cluster are intended to serve as a guide to workforce preparation program providers as they define content for their programs and to employers as they establish the skills and standards necessary for job acquisition. They could also serve as a mechanism for communication among education, business,…