Researchers of mathematics learning disability (MLD) commonly use cutoff scores to determine which participants have MLD. Some researchers apply more restrictive cutoffs than others (e.g., performance below the 10th vs. below the 35th percentile). Different cutoffs may lead to groups of children that differ in their profile of math and related…

Number sense development was tracked from the beginning of kindergarten through the middle of first grade, over six time points. Children (n=277) were then assessed on general math achievement at the end of first grade. Number sense performance in kindergarten, as well as number sense growth, accounted for 66 percent of the variance in first-grade…

A problem frequently confronted in item response theory (IRT) applications is that the item parameters calibrated using more than two independent samples of subjects must be expressed on the same scale. The existing methods were developed for a pairwise transformation, that is, from one scale to the other. The purpose of this study is to introduce…

A framework is offered for fostering systematic, creative synthesis across various case studies. The challenge for those seeking to synthesize from case studies is to develop respect for the individual case context while permitting some blurring of unique features to occur in the synthesis. Case studies are meant to render an account of specific…

Two methods to establish a common scale across grades within a content area using a common item design (separate and concurrent) have previously been studied under simulated conditions. Separate estimation is accomplished through separate calibration and grade-by-grade chained linking. Concurrent calibration established the vertical scale in a…

Describes features of excellent mathematics department in California high school serving multiethnic, low-income students. Explores reasons why these low-income students outperform students from wealthier school districts on independently designed mathematics tests, but have significantly lower SAT-9 mathematics scores than students in other high…

Examines the effects of testing accommodations on the mathematics test scores of a sample of fourth-grade students, which included students with disabilities (SWD) and students without disabilities (SWOD). Primary analyses indicated that SWDs experienced a larger effect in the accommodated condition than did SWODs. The SWDs profited more than…

Discusses teachers' perspectives of alternative assessment, including loss of predictability in the classroom, content coverage, familiarizing students with the teacher's expectations, dealing with increased demands on time, and communicating with parents. (AIM)

A majority of studies on learning disabilities have focused on elementary grades. Although problems with learning disabilities are life-affecting only a few studies focus on deficits in adults. In this study adults with isolated mathematical disabilities (n = 101) and adults with combined mathematical and reading disabilities (n = 130) solved…

The purpose of this study was to develop general outcome measures (GOM) in mathematics so that teachers could focus their instruction on needed prerequisite skills. We describe in detail, the manner in which content-related evidence was established and then present a number of statistical analyses conducted to evaluate the technical adequacy of…

BRT Math Screening Measures focus on students' mathematics performance in grade-level standards for students in grades 1-8. A total of 24 test forms are available with three test forms per grade corresponding to fall, winter, and spring testing periods. Each form contains computation problems and application problems. BRT Math Screening Measures…

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) effectively shifted the K-12 educational paradigm to a system that places a high premium on performance and accountability. The impact of the NCLB legislation and the adoption of the Nevada High School Mathematics Proficiency Examination (NHSPEM) have created the need for instructional materials that…

Research Findings: We examined the reliability and validity of the language, literacy, and mathematics domains of "Work Sampling for Head Start" (WSHS), an observational assessment designed for 3- and 4-year-olds. Participants included 112 children who were enrolled over a two-year period in Head Start and a number of other programs…

This project provides a list of criteria for which the contents of interpretive guides written for customized, criterion-referenced tests can be evaluated. The criteria are based on the "Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing" (1999) and examine the content breadth of interpretive guides. Interpretive guides written for…

The study investigated the comparison of the difficulty and discrimination incides of three multiple choice tests using the confidence scoring procedure (CSP). The study was also set to determine whether or not the difficulty and discrimination indices would be improved, if the tests were scored by the confidence scoring procedure. Two null…