A published author's bad experiences with the writing portion of high stakes exams illustrate how such evaluations do not give everyone a fair shot at success. The author's test failures resulted from poor handwriting, inability to shorten the reflective thinking process, and unwillingness to communicate in a rigidly task-oriented form. Contains 6…

A study examined the reliability and validity of two curriculum-based measures (CBMs) as indicators of the performance of 58 7th-graders in a content-area classroom. CBM measures were student- and administrator-read vocabulary-matching probes. Results revealed moderate alternate-form reliability for both vocabulary-matching measures. Scores for…

Using research findings and statistics to support a policy argument often leads to misinterpretations and exaggerations of public school performance. Two experts illustrate this point by discussing examples of distorted high school drop-out rates, student performance on standardized tests, and international comparisons of U.S. and Japanese…

The construct of interpersonal forgiveness is operationalized and tested with 197 college students and 197 of their same-gender parents. The Enright Forgiveness Inventory correlates significantly and negatively with anxiety, particularly in relation to deep hurt in a developmentally relevant area. (JPS)

A study investigated the applicability of 2 American instruments for student evaluation of teaching for university students in China (n=367). Results indicated high internal consistency; items were generally considered to be appropriate and to distinguish clearly between good and poor lecturers. Every item was important to some students. However,…

Factor analysis of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale found three factors: (1) social impairment, (2) negative emotionality, and (3) distorted sensory response. Subjects with autism were distinguished from subjects with either pervasive or nonpervasive developmental disorders by higher scores on social impairment. Negative emotionality was most…

Interset and set-to-total correlations for the California Card Sorting Test were studied for 135 college students and 63 elementary school students. Although subsets were not equivalent, the generally good correlations between subset and total test scores indicated that use of the individual subsets as short forms is justified. (SLD)

Original data and other studies using the Positive Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATP-Q) show that the reliability and norms of the instrument appear stable and that the ATP-Q is inversely associated with negative affective states but unrelated to conditions such as medical condition not accompanied by psychological distress. (SLD)

The issue of state-imposed standards and high-stakes tests for graduation and promotion has polarized communities and school boards. Lawsuits have arisen in Texas, Louisiana, Arizona, Indiana, and California. Although opinion polls still strongly support standards and accountability, a backlash is spreading in some districts. (MLH)

Applies four measures of disparate impact (four-fifths rule, Hazelwood rule, Shoben rule, and rule of practical significance) to Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) performance data for racial/ethnic groups. Compares findings to data on school quality and math course completion by racial/ethnic group. (Contains 21 references.) (SV)

Analyzed the surveys completed by 9,765 students from the Davis County, Utah, School District to determine patterns of response. Item analysis suggested that students responded with reliability and validity. Some items were more defensible than others for conceptual and empirical reasons. (Author/SLD)

States that French authorities refused to make International Adult Literacy Survey results public, citing methodological flaws, the need for better procedural precautions, and a more adequate notion of literacy. Presents a synthesis of the counter investigations demanded by French authorities that justify their doubts on the IALS definitions and…

Familiarizes test users with issues to consider when employing assessments for screening and admission purposes. Examines the purpose, content, and scoring methods of three English-as-a-Second-Language admissions tests--the Cambridge certificate exams, International English Language Teaching System, and Test of English as a Foreign…

Constructed and tested for validity the Developmental Rating Scale (DRS), which uses teacher judgments about the academic development of children to evaluate student achievement. Teachers evaluated children at the pre-kindergarten, first-, and second-grade levels using the DRS and the Developmental Profile II (DPII). Found that the DRS, unlike the…

This article describes two developmental assessment instruments used by teachers working with students with autism: the Psychoeducational Profile-Revised (PEP-R) and the Adolescent and Adult Psychoeducational Profile. Information is provided on administrator qualifications, item administration, scoring, reliability, and validity. One teacher's use…