Occupational competency measures to attest to student standing in vocational education (comparable to the Scholastic Aptitude Tests for college-bound students) and also to judge effectiveness of vocational teachers are needed, but existing measures are inadequate, according to the authors. A midpoint accreditation for the vocational program…

Shows that foreign students frequently need special help with English and tells how a university organized a remedial writing program for foreign students who demonstrate a deficiency in technical writing skills. (GW)

Assesses the progress made in recent years toward integrating human and material resources that reflect diverse racial and cultural values into the schools. Focuses in turn on instructional staff, testing materials, parent-community participation, and instructional materials and concludes that while progress has been made, much remains to be done.…

This analysis serves mostly to point towards some possible productive research areas giving priority to areas that are more easily manageable politically. These are more commonly located within the school context. (Author/AM)

As a test of the persistence of the effects of enrichment preschooling, and as a further stage of the evaluation of the Bourke preschool in New South Wales, 96 Aboriginal and white children, preschooled and non-preschooled, were given a battery of tests in 1974 measuring verbal intelligence, language development and classificatory skills.…

Two forms of a test of consumer competency, developed as valid, reliable, normed tests in consumer education, were given to Illinois public school students in grades 8-12. A comparison of mean scores indicated that students who had completed a consumer education course scored higher on both test forms than those who had not. Test results are shown…

Part of a special issue on adaptive behavior, the article presents a brief and selective history of the care and treatment of persons with mental retardation, emphasizing the roles that adaptive behavior has played in assessment and treatment. Current and possible future applications of adaptive behavior are also discussed. (Author/JW)

Four problems related to how to best use testing and assessment to improve learning are discussed: (1) criterion- versus norm-referenced scores; (2) scaling; (3) communication and reporting of achievement; and (4) external versus school-based assessment. Comparisons of current practices in different countries, described in subsequent articles, are…

Views teacher-made tests as a fundamental part of the educational process, defining instructional purposes, influencing what students study, and helping instructors gain perspective on their courses. Offers examples of test items that can perform these functions, while assessing knowledge and skills. (DMM)

The research and development of mental (standardized) testing and its relationship to educational practice is traced historically from its pre-World War I roots to its controversial national prominence in the 1970s. How standardized tests have been used in research and in schools is analyzed. (BS)

Investigated whether structuring textbook reading passages in accordance with a deductive concept presentation strategy affects students' concept attainment. Results showed that good and average readers scored significantly higher in concept attainment with structuring, but that poor readers failed to show improvement. (TRS)

Students in two introductory psychology classes using a personalized system of instruction were assigned to either daily quizzing or self-initiated quizzing treatment conditions. Results showed students in the daily quizzing section completed course work more rapidly and earned higher grades by reducing procrastination. (Author/JDH)

The constructive use of microcomputers in the development of tests requires thoughtful attention to the questions addressed in this paper: What is the purpose for testing? How can a microcomputer help? Which microcomputer system is best? What pitfalls should be avoided? (BW)

This paper details procedures to be followed in analyzing multiple program options and time allocation for significant effects. A multiple-option supplementary education program was evaluated by the application of multiple regression analysis as a general data analytic system. (Author)

This report presents results of the NAEP 2003 fourth- and eighth-grade reading assessments for the nation, for regions of the country, for participating states and other jurisdictions, and for participating urban districts. Assessment results are described in terms of students' average reading score on a 0-500 scale and in terms of the percentage…