Recent test results reveal that the test score decline has ended, but the legacy of this highly publicized educational episode continues. One widespread interpretation of the decline and recovery is that permissiveness and a collapse of standards in the late 1960s led to the decline and that a return to the basics and to tougher standards caused…

Intended for parents and all citizens concerned about improving Chicago's 592 public schools, this handbook explains how important reading is to a decent education and future employment. Chapter one describes the school improvement campaign called "Schoolwatch," the problems in the Chicago public schools, and the components of effective…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) was initiated in the mid-1960's to collect student achievement information over time and describe the data in ways meaningful to the nation's educational and civic leaders. This work presents the Florida perspective on how NAEP can be improved to aid educational decision-makers in the…

A conceptual synthesis is presented of the ways in which multilevel methods of data collection, analysis, interpretation and reporting can be used in instructional improvement activities in local school districts. This discussion of multilevel methods in school settings focuses on the "what" of information needs and usage. Principles and…

Because testing, in many different forms, currently plays such an important role in education, Elementary Secondary Education Act, Title I, the Division of Federal Assistance in the Vermont State Department of Education, prepared this brochure to present a general introduction to terms and phrases commonly used in testing and to highlight some of…

Instructional and program relevance of measures of student performance and use of standardized achievement tests, as measures of the quality of a student's educational experiences, are discussed. This focus is consonant with current emphasis on linking testing and instruction and on systemic efforts at program and instructional improvement.…

This guide is designed for educators involved in teaching, developing curriculum, or counseling students. It describes six new forms used to report the results of 10th-grade student performance on the Florida State Student Assessment Test, Parts I and II (SSAT-I and -II): (1) Parent Report, SSAT-I; (2) Student Report, SSAT-I; (3) Student Report,…

To determine what pedagogical uses the primary trait system might serve apart from providing a means to assess students' writing, data were collected from 11 elementary and junior high school teachers who had participated in an earlier week-long workshop on primary trait scoring. Participating teachers were asked to complete a log of their…

The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, Form 14 (ASVAB-14) is a multiple aptitude test battery designed for use for civilian, as well as military, career counseling. This manual is designed for use by school guidance counselors in administration and interpretation of results of the ASVAB-14. The 1984 revision of this instrument includes…

The development, testing, and modification of an instrument to measure attitude change toward economic issues among economics students is described in this paper. It was initially hypothesized that a continuum of attitudes to economic issues existed, ranging from extreme interventionist ideas at one end to extreme laisez-faire at the other end,…

Reviewed is the Test of Perceptual Organization, a screening device for difficulties in cognitive functioning, perceptual functioning, perceptual motor ability, and emotional adjustment, which requires that adolescents follow 10 detailed instructions on a street map. (MC)

A standardized language arts achievement test can be used by language arts teachers as they plan the language arts curriculum, group pupils, individualize instruction, and identify pupils needing special help. Two interventions, training and process consultation, were used to identify the most effective method of training preservice elementary…

Three studies related to group interpretation of the subskills tested by the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) were the focus of this project. These were the Impact Study, Teachers' Predictions of Student Performance on Subskills of Mathematics, and Relationships between the Results of ITBS. Mathematics Subtests and Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics…

Issues surrounding the concept of nonbiased assessment, particularly with economically disadvantaged minority students, are analyzed. The legal requirements are focused on thorough discussion of litigation and legislation. The second section explores research on the use of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R). Research…

Educators considering adoption of policies regarding the promotion of students from one grade to the next must consider several factors, including acceptable levels of student progress toward terminal objectives, student developmental and cognitive abilities, community attitudes toward student retention, and the educational benefits of retention.…