A review of functional literacy testing in the United States from 1955-82 is provided by summarizing the results of literacy assessment studies and synthesizing the major issues which they have engendered. These reviews are grouped with respect to content, criterion-related, and construct validity. The paper concludes by (1) summarizing some of…

In 1981, as part of its implementation of Roueche's model for developmental education, Pima Community College (PCC) initiated its first collegewide assessment and placement program. Faculty in the areas of reading, writing, and mathematics met to establish scores on which recommendations for student course placement would be based. A study was…

This booklet contains the competencies, item specifications, and sample items for the mathematics competency tests developed by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for administration at grades 3, 7, and 10. Commonly referred to as the "shelf tests," they will be available for the first time during the 1985-86 school year. Ten…

A sample of l34 adults enrolled in adult education programs for credit ranked types of test items. From most to least preferred, the five types of test item were multiple choice, true/false, matching, fill-in-the-blank, and essay. Respondents also explained which type of test item contributed to anxiety for them. Vaguely written essay questions…

Based on research findings, public hearings, reports submitted by individuals and professional organizations, as well as on the training and experiences of the study committee, this report contains the findings and recommendations from a study of the English language arts programs in the North Carolina public schools. The first section of the…

School districts in New Jersey were required to report to the State Department of Education data pertaining to the impact of the state's high school graduation law (Chapter 241, Public Law 1979) on the 1987-88 graduating class. Data were collected through a form completed by all public school districts issuing diplomas. Of the 77,680 students in…

The 1990 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) will mark the first time that state-level comparisons will be possible with NAEP data. The 1990 data will contain, as a trial component, state-level assessments of eighth graders in mathematics. Mathematics and reading comparisons for fourth graders will be added in 1992. Statistical…

The analyses of J. E. Hunter (1983) were replicated with an expanded data set. The Hunter study, the basis of the Validity Generalization system used by the United States Employment Service, contained 515 General Aptitude Test Battery validation studies. The data set in this study included these and additional studies to bring the data set to 755…

One step toward promotion of equitable educational computing is to provide teacher education based on a better understanding of the machine/human interface, including the dynamics of teachers' decision-making about computer use. To test this notion, a study was conducted to investigate the relationship between elementary…

While much of microcomputer-based instruction (MCBI) is oriented to provide self-paced instruction to adjust for individual differences, there is some indication from cognitive theory that self-pacing may not be the best approach to improving learning. In addition, research in the area of cognitive imagery mediation has indicated that imagery…

This paper examines some of the implications of present testing programs for minority groups. The effects on prospective teachers and the institutions that prepare them are discussed. The role of the testing movement in molding the curriculum that is taught in colleges of education is described with particular consideration of state-mandated…

The use of standardized testing in secondary schools (with students between 10 and 19 years old) is described for four European countries: (1) England; (2) West Germany; (3) the Netherlands; and (4) Sweden. In the decentralized English system, several published standardized tests are available; they are used less at the secondary level than in…

In 1982 the Dade County Public Schools (Florida) began developing test item banks for secondary subject areas, because other testing programs have limited utility for assessing the quality of curriculum, instruction, or learning in specific content areas. In May l984, the approximately 17,000 seventh graders enrolled in Life Science and the…

The purpose of this exercise is to introduce college students to basic research methodology and concepts for social class in the United States and to the useful library sources and techniques to aid in the research. The underlying theory is that social classes do exist in the United States, and students can validate this theory through…

This report assesses the impact of testing on the national minority teaching force. Its central focus examines the impact of teacher competency tests on prospective minority teachers and, where data are available, the impact of testing on veteran teachers is assessed. State-by-state profiles are presented. A case study of a single state, Florida,…