The Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills, Form U, is scored in two ways: number-correct and pattern. The latter makes use of the information about which particular items are answered correctly, giving more weight to the more discriminating items and making allowances for guessing. Critics have suggested that black students are penalized by pattern…

This chronological review of research and educational literature traces the growth in the use of standardized and locally developed assessment instruments in community colleges over the past decade. The literature review covers the following aspects of the issue of student assessment: (1) studies from the early 1970's showing a negative attitude…

Some of the assumptions underlying educational assessment policies in England and Wales are discussed in terms of contradictions in the aims of those policies. Two key initiatives--the national "bench-mark" testing and records of achievement--provide the focus for illustrating the potentially fundamental change of emphasis in the nature…

This paper explores gifted education and plans for inservice teacher education in gifted education programs in Iowa. A survey was conducted of 238 Iowa public school districts having programs for gifted students. Initial analysis of the data involved a frequency count for each of 13 survey items which rated program emphasis on major provisions of…

This newsletter issue focuses on the subject of mandatory testing of prospective teachers prior to certification. The following questions are discussed: (1) What are the major types of teacher tests? (2) How prevalent are teacher tests? (3) What are the major teacher tests? (4) What problems do teacher testing programs address? (5) What are the…

Questions have been raised about what criteria to use in selecting, training, and hiring teachers, and when those measures should be taken--at the time of entrance to teacher preparation programs or at the end of training and at the time of certification. Another question concerns the demonstrated teaching competency of the teachers selected and…

This manual outlines specific guidelines for testing students for Education Consolidation Improvement Act (ECIA) Chapter 1 eligibility in the Austin (Texas) Independent School District in 1985-86. Section 1 states that all students in Chapter 1 schools must be tested annually and must score at or below the 30th percentile for their grade level to…

This test booklet contains 50 multiple choice items testing sixth grade social studies achievement. The test was administered by the Alberta (Canada) Department of Education in June 1985. The items concern early civilizations, Southeast Asia, and regulation by the government. Fifty minutes are allowed to complete this test. (GDC)

The results are presented of district-wide standardized testing in the Irving (Texas) Independent School District for the 1985-86 school year. This was the first year in which the Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS) was implemented. It was administered to students in odd-numbered grades, whereas all other students took the…

The National Consortium on Testing undertook a case study of South Carolina's competency testing program. The Basic Skills Assessment Act (BSAA) passed in 1978 provided for the Basic Skills Assessment Program (BSAP). This program seemed a progressive approach because it is keyed to particular educational objectives. It is being implemented…

Increasing public understanding of school testing programs is seen as the joint responsibility of test publishers and schools, and also as a primary responsibility on the part of test publishers to increase the schools' understanding of tests. The most common areas of misunderstanding about tests are addressed: purpose of the testing program; the…

Careful management of a testing program can greatly limit a teacher's opportunity to cheat while administering standardized tests to students and can increase the likelihood that such cheating will be detected. The Austin Independent School District's systemwide testing staff's plan for controlling cheating has three basic premises: (1) plan and…

This study is designed to investigate the effect of personality factors on management effectiveness. (Author)

The Ohio Career Development Program was evaluated and students were tested in order to carry out that evaluation. (RK)

The National Education Association's (NEA) resolutions concerning standardized tests, teacher evaluation and subjective ratings, national testing and assessment, student rights, and the improvement of instruction are presented in this interim report of the Task Force on Testing. The NEA strongly encourages the elimination of group standardized…