Focusing on the use of the Metropolitan Achievement Test (MAT) with Project Follow Through evaluations, this report represents an extended discussion of the appropriateness of standardized tests for evaluation and policy research. First, the development of the MAT and its roots in the Army Alpha intelligence test are described in detail. The next…

To improve the accuracy of college placement, Rasch scoring and person-fit statistics on the Comparative Guidance and Placement test (CGP) was compared to the traditional right-only scoring. Correlations were calculated between English and mathematics course grades and scores of 1,448 entering freshmen on the reading, writing, and mathematics…

This interim report of a pilot year impact study on evaluation methodology is part of a series of documents on the evaluation of Project Developmental Continuity, a Head Start demonstration program aimed at promoting educational and developmental continuity between children's Head Start and primary school experiences. This report deals with…

It is argued that achievement test means, based on group scores, or other district-wide summary scores do not provide valid measures for diagnosing curriculum weaknesses nor for initiating curriculum changes. Group scores are probably valid for some purposes, but should not be used as criterion variables for evaluating the effectiveness of…

An instrument to measure student reports of perceived teacher invitations and of teacher behaviors traditionally considered effective was developed and validated. Invitational (I-type) factors and effective (E-type) factors were correlated with academic achievement. Scale items were suggested by the literature, and then rated and categorized by…

To obtain quantifiable employment information and identify training weaknesses of former vocational technical students, a comprehensive follow-up questionnaire was developed and validated. The new questionnaire, after review and revision, was field tested, using twenty-five randomly selected former students (placed in occupations related to their…

This technical report describes the procedures followed in developing the tests used in the California Assessment Program, the underlying principles of the program, the statistical characteristics of the tests, and the evidence that has been accumulated relating to the validity and reliability of the tests. The report also presents complete…

Indices of motivation and demand developed to forecast postsecondary enrollment in Manitoba, Canada, are described. The indices were tested with surveys of more than 14,000 high school students with respect to actual outcomes and validated by surveying more than 5,000 students. The theoretical basis of the indices, their use in enrollment…

The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Cooperative Validity Studies Project began in 1975 to fill the need for cooperation between graduate schools and testing agencies and for graduate level validity studies. More than 150 data sets from the 39 participating schools, representing over 19 fields of study, were analyzed. The data confirmed earlier…

After studying the testing and remedial programs used in Florida's public schools, the Task Force on Educational Assessment Programs presented its findings and recommendations. Findings are reported regarding: the schedule for implementing the testing program (which requires that students pass the Functional Literacy Test before they may graduate…

The Dominant Characteristics Inventory (DCI) was administered to 836 university undergraduates, 666 college professors of mathematics, chemistry, English, modern foreign languages, history, and physical education, and 752 high school teachers of the same subjects. Data from the college students were used to assess the reliability and validity of…

A community assessment questionnaire was developed at Worthington Community College (WCC) to determine sources of information about WCC, attitudes toward and knowledge of WCC, educational needs and interests, how WCC's service population could best be served, and respondent characteristics. A total of 200 people in six population centers were…

Six contrived situational measures of altruism--prosocial behavior intended to benefit other persons--were developed and administered to 52 fourth- through sixth-grade boys and girls of Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, and Hawaiian heritage. A peer nomination device and a teacher rating form dealing with altruistic behavior were developed…

Reflecting concern with the nationwide decline in basic skills mastery, the 1975 statewide basic skills tests of the New Jersey Educational Assessment Program (NJEAP) were used to assess the relative performance of college bound seniors. The results of a random 10% sample of the 55,000 students in college preparatory programs were compared with…

The objectives of this booklet are to provide suggestions, procedures, and rules of thumb to aid the evaluator in using achievement tests in program evaluation. It also discusses some of the theories underlying the procedures for developing and selecting achievement tests and interpreting their results. Each of the six chapters offers advice on…