This study explores the reported level of test-taking motivation and the relation between test-taking motivation and mathematics achievement in a sample of Swedish eighth-grade students (n = 343) participating in Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2003. A majority of students reported that they were motivated to do their…

The Slosson-Diagnostic Math Screener (S-DMS) was designed to help identify students in Grades 1 to 8 at risk for mathematics failure. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, item analysis, decision efficiency, convergent validity, and factorial validity of all five levels of the S-DMS were studied using 20 independent samples of students…

This report by the Center on Education Policy (CEP), an independent nonprofit organization, examines trends in the achievement of high school students on the state reading/English language arts (ELA) and mathematics tests used for accountability under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). In most states, these tests are first administered in grade…

The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) funds schools located on 63 reservations in 23 states across the nation. Of the 183 schools, 59 are Bureau operated and 124 are tribally controlled. One-hundred and sixteen schools provide instructional programs, 55 provide instructional as well as boarding services and 12 peripheral dormitories provide only…

As Sweden drew nearer to the 2006 national election, two themes emerged in the educational debate: a concern for order and discipline in schools, and the ambition to raise educational levels of achievement. The objective of this article is to locate these two themes within a broader framework of understanding by: 1) discussing examples of how the…

This paper provides information about Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) and Georgia High School Writing Test (GHSWT). The purpose of the exams is to: (1) Ensure that students qualifying for a diploma have mastered essential core academic content and skills. All students seeking a Georgia high school diploma must pass the GHSGT in four…

This paper provides information about Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) and TAKS (Accommodated) Phasing in End-of-Course (EOC) Assessments. The purpose of the tests is to: (1) Meet a state mandate; (2) Provide schools with student academic diagnostic information; (3) Determine prospective high school graduates' mastery of the state…

This paper provides information about Washington Assessment of Student Learning and the new High School Proficiency Exam. The purpose of the exam is to: (1) Determine prospective high school graduates' knowledge and skill levels relative to those needed for entry-level employment and postsecondary education; (2) Determine prospective high school…

The guiding principles and procedures for pupil assessment in Portuguese compulsory education were established by the Implementing Order No. 1/2005, 5th January, with amendments introduced by the Implementing Orders No. 18/2006, 14th March and No. 5/2007, 10th January, and apply to the learning objectives and competencies defined for the various…

Many educational testing programs report examinee performance at more than two levels of proficiency. Whether these assessments have the capacity to support these multiple inferences, though, is a topic that has not been widely discussed. This study proposes a method for evaluating the minimum number of measurement opportunities for reporting…

The presumed November match-up produced by the long presidential-primary season offers contrasting approaches to K-12 policy, along with some common ground on the basics of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). Senator John McCain of Arizona, the presumptive Republican nominee, and Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, his Democratic counterpart, both…

This document, in both English and French versions, is the Mathematics 33 Grade 12 Diploma Examination from Alberta Education. It is a 2.5 hour closed-book examination consisting of 37 multiple-choice and 12 numerical-response questions of equal value that are worth 70% of the examination, and 4 written-response questions of equal value worth 30%…

The modeling of longitudinal and multilevel data using a latent variable framework is reviewed. Particular emphasis is placed on growth modeling. Examples are discussed where repeated observations are made on students sampled within classrooms and schools. The concept of a latent variable is a convenient way to represent statistical variation not…

This bibliography identifies reports of research on the effects of variables other than knowledge of content on mathematics test performance. The listing was developed for a synthesis of its research, performed by meta-analysis at Adrian College, Michigan, in 1985. Variables chosen for study were determined by the criterion that each could be…

A study was undertaken to assess the relationship between the DMI Mathematics Systems Objective Inventory (DMIMS) and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) content by process matrix prepared for the Fourth Assessment of Mathematics. The DMIMS is a criterion-referenced standardized test comprised of seven levels, and it can be used…