Two elementary schools in the Kansas City, Missouri, School District have been in operation for 5 years as Applied Learning Magnet Schools (ALMS). The ALMS are math and science magnet schools that emphasize skills in math, science, reading, language arts, and social studies. This report examines ALMS student achievement and enrollment during 5…

Classroom tests developed by seventh- and eighth-grade science teachers (n=23) and mathematics teachers (n=18) were analyzed by panels of content and measurement experts. The 41 participating teachers, each of whom contributed 2 tests, completed a questionnaire, an interview, and 2 measures of competence in testing. Teachers used all major item…

Connecticut is developing a new grade 10 statewide testing program known as the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT). The CAPT reflects the changing nature of standardized assessment by using a variety of assessment formats including performance tasks, open-ended questions, and multiple-choice tests. This paper describes the research that…

The Zimbabwe Secondary School Science Project (ZIM-SCI) was started in 1981 with the aim of developing a low-cost science course which could be taught during the first 2 years of secondary school without the aid of qualified teachers and conventional laboratories. Project activities included developing student study guides, corresponding teaching…

A brief overview of the Diploma Examinations Program conducted by Alberta Education during 1989-90 is provided. All grade 12 students in Alberta are required to write at least one diploma examination, either English 30 or English 33, to receive a high school diploma. The Grade 12 Diploma Examinations Program is intended to develop and maintain…

This paper evaluates the procedures and results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in science. A brief description of the 1981-82 assessment, funded by the National Science Foundation, precedes a discussion of strengths and weaknesses of the current science assessment program, conducted by Educational Testing Service. Major…

Fifth and eighth grade students in New York City participated in a citywide science survey for the fourth consecutive year in 1987. These surveys were designed to assess overall achievement in the pre-high school grades and to provide school, district and citywide summary information about student performance in basic areas of the science…

A group of scientists and science educators at Washington State University has developed and pilot tested an integrated physical science program designed for preservice elementary school teachers. This document is a comprehensive guide to be provided to students in a physical science teaching methods course. Chapters include: (1) "Science as a…

Presented are abstracts and abstractors' analyses of 10 studies related to one or more aspects of teacher education and 2 studies in a "miscellaneous" category. Analyses in the first section (teacher education) are on studies of: the use of wait-time and its effect on science achievement; teacher competencies; the influence of teacher…

Educational production can be studied by correlating levels of academic achievement with three independent variables: student's family background, student's mental ability, and school quality. To examine family background and school quality, information was gathered from schools in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, and Peru.…

In this report, the mathematics and science proficiency of students in third, seventh, and eleventh grades in Catholic schools was compared to the national average of the 1985-86 National Assessment of Mathematics and Science. The introduction describes the differences in reading/writing and mathematics/science that the National Assessment of…

Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores have declined during the last 14 years. Similar score declines have been observed in many different testing programs, many groups, and tested areas. The declines, while not large in any given year, have been consistent over time, area, and group. The period around 1965 is critical for the interpretation of…

Discusses the science component of the Oxford Certificate of Educational Achievement (OCEA). Proposes that this measure be used for assessing the process skills of physics students as part of the new General Certificate of Secondary Education, which mandates that 20% of student's performance be measured in practical and experimental work. (TW)

This publication reports the results of a research study on the feasibility and validity of various accommodations in the context of mathematics assessment. The study compared limited English proficiency (LEP) and non-LEP students' scores on 20 science items under three different conditions: standard National Assessment for Educational Progress…

Describes two approaches of assuring adequate student laboratory preparation by means of computerized, prelab quizzes. One, designed for the Apple microcomputer for introductory chemistry, is available on diskette from the authors. The other, for organic chemistry, is done on a time-shared system. Additional information on this program is…