First grade students stratified on the basis of their racial-ethnic and socioeconomic status (SES) were studied to determine factors measured by several readiness (aptitude) tests and to learn whether these factors differed for the children from the various groups. SES was determined by father's occupation, or if absent, mother's occupation; the…

Instructional improvement within the context of criterion-referenced and norm-referenced tests is described. Such categories overemphasize test interpretation rather than design characteristics of achievement tests. Data from most measurement situations may be reported or interpreted either according to criterion- or norm-referenced standards. How…

The nature of the relations between traditional psychometric and Piagetian instruments is analyzed, in order to provide information relevant to the question of which type of test or combination of them will provide the most useful information to those seeking to construct and maintain optimal learning environments. Four hypotheses are posed: (1)…

The Navy Enlisted Scientific Education Program (NESEP) provides qualified enlisted men with an opportunity to obtain a college degree while earning a commission as an officer in the naval service. In 1965, over 250 NESEP selectees completed Strong Vocational Interest Blanks (SVIBs). For the 166 who had received commissions by 1971, the SVIB mean…

This monograph has four main objectives: (1) to define the field of ergometrics, (2) to identify some potential applications of ergometrics to problems in occupational or career education, (3) to review the relevant research literature, and (4) to suggest some conceptual approaches that might be used in conjunction with ergometric procedures.…

A study involving the construction and administration of Black and White intelligence test forms to 386 Blacks and 386 Whites indicated that Blacks did not perform significantly better on the Black test form, suggesting differences in Black special education placement rates are not affected by underrepresentation in the test development group.…

Psychometric intelligence and adaptive competence constructs were compared in five- to seven-year-old children in a rural Phillippine barrio. Individualized psychometric subtests of intelligence, indigenous with respect to content, and a form for obtaining adults' ratings of children's adaptive competencies, were developed. (Author/LMO)

Current testing standards call for test developers to provide evidence that testing procedures and test scores, and the inferences made based on the test scores, show evidence of validity and are comparable across subpopulations (American Educational Research Association [AERA], American Psychological Association [APA], & National Council on…

The present study contributes to knowledge of the construct validity of the short form of the Teacher Sense of Efficacy Scale (and by extension, given their similar content and psychometric properties, to the long form). The authors' research involves: (1) examining the psychometric properties of the TSES on a large sample of elementary, middle,…

"Data Trends" reports present summaries of research on mental health services for children and adolescents and their families. The article summarized in this "Data Trends" examines the equivalence of the BPI [Behavior Problem Index] across a sample of African American, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White children drawn from the…

Item parameter estimates vary for a variety of reasons, including estimation error, characteristics of the examinee samples, and context effects (e.g., item location effects, section location effects, etc.). Although we expect variation based on theory, there is reason to believe that observed variation in item parameter estimates exceeds what…

A study evaluated the Alabama Direct Assessment of Writing Program. The comprehensive evaluation examined the background literature, the psychometric characteristics, and the impact of the writing assessment both quantitatively and qualitatively. Results indicated that: (1) the majority of fifth- and seventh-grade students in Alabama do not…

Issues in alternative assessment for accountability purposes are discussed. Most new forms of performance assessment are linked in the literature, but all alternative forms of assessment do not have the same attributes in terms of technical and feasibility criteria. Tradeoffs in the validity of inferences that can be drawn from alternative…

Florida's High School Competency Test (HSCT) is a multiple-choice test of the application of basic academic skills to everyday life situations. The test is divided into mathematics and communications sections, with the communications section including skills in reading and writing. Passing the HSCT is a high school graduation requirement. This…

Three eras in the history of examining outcomes of education are described, and a new approach labeled as "assessment" is characterized as a postmodern era of achievement testing. This era is marked by increasing the teacher's authority to evaluate achievement and questioning the relevance of certain psychometric principles of evaluation. (SLD)