A study investigated the roles of general ability and specific abilities as predictors of several job performance criteria for Air Force enlistees in eight jobs. Subjects were 1,545 Air Force enlistees entering from 1984 through 1988 who had tested with the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) parallel forms 11, 12, or 13. Subjects…

The "National Education Goals Report: Building A Nation of Learners, 1993" provides the most current information on where U.S. schools stand in regard to achieving the National Education Goals. Some of the key findings of the report are summarized in this digest. The six goals pertain to school readiness; high school completion; student…

This paper examines whether the Title I/Chapter 1 tradition of leading the way in educational evaluation will continue or whether Chapter 1 will change its role by delegating decision-making authority over evaluation methodology to state and local school systems. Whatever direction Chapter 1 takes, states, school systems, and schools must be held…

This study explored the use of multiple-choice item formats and performance formats for assessment of learning science at the second grade level. It was completed during a 2-week unit entitled "Living Systems" that addressed Virginia Standards of Learning for second grade science. A 7-day unit was designed and both multiple-choice and…

Many states are adopting results-oriented school accountability systems. Some of the difficult issues that states are working through as they set up and implement strategies for academic intervention are discussed in this report. The report examines the "machinery" that needs to be in place to enable and support a program of state intervention…

This paper reports on a standard-setting method designed for complex performance assessments with multiple performance categories. The method studied, the Analytical Judgment Method, involves panelists' making analytical classification decisions for each of the test's components individually. It also allows for discussion and reconsideration of…

A central task in evaluating a prototype education program is to study the variability of delivery and outcomes from site to site. The evaluation should also indicate what to expect and what to do when a Teacher Enhancement Program (TEP) program becomes fully operational. An approach to evaluating TEPs was developed and applied to a concrete case,…

To say that assessments must be authentic, dynamic, fluid, and formative is not to say that normative, standardized evaluations have no place in the overall assessment scheme. What is needed is a combination and balance of assessments. The tri-assessment model promotes using traditional assessments along with portfolio and performance assessments.…

This book examines the process of developing an authentic system of instruction and assessment to measure student performance based on tasks that are relevant and useful in real life. The process of making the transition from traditional to authentic assessment is presented in a systematic, step-by-step fashion. Chapters are: (1) "Initiating…

The various ways that standards and standards-based education are being addressed around the United States are described. The education community can trace the start of the modern standards movement to the publication of "A Nation at Risk" in 1983 (National Commission on Excellence). The first education summit in 1987 then became a…

Proponents of early childhood education frequently refer to the importance of parent involvement for children's school success. However, little is known about characteristics of families that are more likely to become involved in their children's educational experience. This study provided follow-up data on 221 inner-city children (median age =…

This book explains a systematic approach to curriculum, assessment, instruction, and learning called the achievement cycle. The first chapter defines the term and its related concepts, provides the background knowledge for using the achievement cycle in the school system or classroom, and presents an overview of the rest of the book. The…

Designed to provide practical information for all elementary teachers, whether they are just getting started, getting comfortable, or fine-tuning their assessment program, this book examines manageable and practical ways to collect information about young learners. It presents the voices of many elementary teachers at various grade levels…

In an effort to improve student achievement in low-performing districts, 22 states have developed academic bankruptcy laws, allowing them to intervene in districts that consistently fail to satisfy state education performance standards. This policy brief presents an overview of these statutes. The text offers a comparative summary of state…

Despite the burgeoning use of authentic assessment, few studies have examined effects on students. In this study, 148 students in 15 grade 4-6 classrooms were taught over an 8-week period how to evaluate their work. Their self-reflections were later compared with those of 148 control group students. Treatment group students became more accurate in…