A recent review found that 11% of published factor models are hierarchical models with second-order factors. However, dedicated recommendations for evaluating hierarchical model fit have yet to emerge. Traditional benchmarks like RMSEA <0.06 or CFI >0.95 are often consulted, but they were never intended to generalize to hierarchical models.…

The logistic and confined exponential curves are frequently used in studies of growth and learning. These models, which are nonlinear in their parameters, can be estimated using structural equation modeling software. This paper proposes a single combined model, a weighted combination of both models. Mplus, Proc Calis, and lavaan code for the model…

The focus of the study is District A's expected instructional coaching for veteran special education teachers. A mixed methods study was conducted to analyze the perspective of the teacher receiving the instructional coaching. The study included a semi-structured survey that was compared to individual student growth from start score percentiles in…

We evaluate the effectiveness of reading aloud a program code in learning programming from a neuroscientific perspective by measuring brain activity using a near-infrared spectroscopy device. The results show that when reading aloud and then reading silently, brain activity increases during reading aloud; a similar trend is observed when the…

In the United States high school students may take college level courses that count for credit in both high school and college, often called dual enrollment. Students may take courses at their high school from certified instructors or at a local college. We investigate possible differences between these two groups of students using student level…

The TOEFL Junior® tests are designed to evaluate young language students' English reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills in an English-medium secondary instructional context. This paper articulates a validity argument constructed to support the use and interpretation of the TOEFL Junior test scores for the purpose of placement, progress…

Dual Credit, also known as dual enrollment or concurrent enrollment, has been offered at colleges and universities since the 1970s (Kim & Bragg, 2008). Dual credit programs allow students to take college-level courses while still in high school and receive both college and high school credit for successful completion of the courses. While much…

This quantitative quality improvement study examined the impact of Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) on African American students in a Southeastern school district. A review of the current literature highlighted the chronic absenteeism, low levels of achievement, and high discipline referrals of African American…

There has long been a need for a larger body of data supporting the difference in achievement among students educated in an environment rich in the arts. The 21st century has seen an emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education to prepare students for future jobs in STEM fields. Global competition for technological…

Users of forced-choice questionnaires (FCQs) to measure personality commonly assume statement parameter invariance across contexts -- between Likert and forced-choice (FC) items and between different FC items that share a common statement. In this paper, an empirical study was designed to check these two assumptions for an FCQ assessment measuring…

Academic writing is a salient skill for medical students all over the world. Academic writing starts with composing effective paragraphs, laying the foundation for students' advancement in writing during college. This study investigated common mistakes in English paragraph writing committed by the first-year medical students of the Medicine…

This study examines the predictive validity of high school grade point average and ACT® Composite score on first-year college grade point average prior to and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The findings reveal that the predictive power of high school grade point average changed significantly after 2020, suggesting that students…

GRE Aptitude Test scores have been a key criterion for admissions to U.S. graduate programs. However, many universities lifted their standardized testing requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many decided not to reinstate them once the pandemic ended. This change poses additional challenges in evaluating prospective students. In this…

Maintaining equivalent performance standards across forms is a psychometric challenge exacerbated by small samples. In this study, the accuracy of two equating methods (Rasch anchored calibration and nominal weights mean) and four anchor item selection methods were investigated in the context of very small samples (N = 10). Overall, nominal…

Recent research has suggested that re-setting the standard for each administration of a small sample examination, in addition to the high cost, does not adequately maintain similar performance expectations year after year. Small-sample equating methods have shown promise with samples between 20 and 30. For groups that have fewer than 20 students,…