In response to declining enrollments, some local school districts are using performance criteria to determine the order of teacher layoffs. The difficulties of implementing this practice are illustrated by the experiences of four Massachusetts school districts. Interviews with principals reveal the adverse impact upon teacher-principal relations…

Describes an organized set of materials prospective school health educators should develop to accurately represent their newly acquired skills and competencies. The portfolio should include cooperating teacher evaluations, videotapes of teaching episodes, examples of their work, samples of assessment instruments, statements of philosophy, examples…

This paper explains the development of a National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education project to move the professional accreditation process to one which focuses primarily on the performance of candidates and institutions. It discusses program quality review and notes possible differences between the current system and such a system in…

Critiques William Mehrens' 1992 article on performance assessment, claiming that Mehrens professes to favor performance assessment but only as an afterthought to traditional assessment, and Mehrens' view of traditional assessment limits his portrayal of performance assessment. The paper encourages the research community to support performance…

Uses oral-language skills assessment to illustrate sound classroom assessment practices, stressing interrelationships among teaching, learning, and assessment and viewing assessment as a continual, ongoing reference in a dynamic process, not an end in itself. Describes supportive classroom environments, explains oral language profiles, and…

Cognitive science research has created considerable change in people's understanding of what learning is and how it happens. This change has implications for teaching, learning, and assessment. To develop students' deep understanding of a subject, teachers must understand cognitive theories of learning and apply them in their classroom-assessment…

Conflicting policy decisions, scaling difficulties, teacher resistance, and mediocre results are slowing adoption of authentic student-evaluation measures. With more conservative state leadership, California and Arizona rejected performance assessment, and other states have followed. Despite various setbacks, new assessments are becoming the norm.…

Presents a "theory-in-action" approach to developing, facilitating, and assessing the experiences and learning of graduate students the author taught during her first year as a professor. Highlights efforts to model reflective pedagogical practices and assessments and discusses some performance assessments (such as portfolios and…

Examined the experiences of a group of preservice and cooperating teachers piloting portfolios for evaluating student teacher development. Observation of portfolio review sessions and interviews with student and cooperating teachers indicated that portfolio assessment was valuable. Practical issues to consider when using portfolios are examined.…

Describes a two-year professional development program in which teachers used collaborative inquiry to study, develop, and use alternative and authentic assessment to improve teaching and learning. The paper examines curriculum and assessment changes teachers made, presents insights from the experience, and discusses implications for professional…

Tests in each science area were developed around six laboratory tasks. Students had to plan an investigation, collect and organize data, and formulate conclusions based on calculations and graphs. Over 1,000 students from 32 Ohio schools formed the sample for this study. Data are presented by skill and by task. An analysis for gender and school…

Responses of two high school history teachers on three performance assessments of teaching, part of the Stanford University Teacher Assessment Project, were analyzed. Differences that emerged in teacher attitudes and knowledge level illustrate what performance assessment can reveal about pedagogical knowledge and the implications for educational…

Examined the effectiveness of the showcase portfolio process as an instructional strategy to enhance the quality and quantity of students' writing and to motivate them to participate in the writing process. Findings supported claims that portfolios are not only an authentic evaluative procedure, but an equally powerful motivational approach and an…

Presents a narrative account of an activity designed to extend the understanding of both science curriculum and alternative assessment for prospective science teachers enrolled in an advanced undergraduate course. The activity models instructional practice in a methods class. (LZ)

This article provides a framework for the rest of the articles in this special issue comparing the utility of three standard-setting methods with complex performance assessments. The context of the standard setting study is described, and the methods are outlined. (SLD)