This analysis of educational practices in the United States takes the position that a number of practices, including the way teachers are trained, textbooks selected, and college and university faculty rewarded, have become institutionalized and endure in spite of the reform efforts of the past decade. These practices, once established on a large…

Data banks with items calibrated under an item response model can be used for the construction of tests. Mathematical programming models like the Maximin Model are formulated for computerized item selection from a bank. In this paper, mathematical programming models based on the Maximin Model are proposed for the construction of weakly parallel…

Characteristics that distinguish criterion-referenced tests from their norm-referenced counterparts are discussed, including: the purposes that they are designed to serve; the characteristics of the types of items that they contain; and the manner in which they are developed. More specifically, the distinguishing characteristics include: reference…

A multilevel approach was used to examine determinants of growth in grade 8 mathematics achievement in Thailand. Data for 99 mathematics teachers and their 4,030 eighth graders (the 14-year-old cohort) were taken from the Second International Mathematics Study (1981-82) of the International Association for the Assessment of Educational…

This discussion focuses on reading problems arising when bilingual children must learn two different scripts, and how the nature of the relationship between the two scripts may influence the child's ability to transfer and develop reading skills. First, models of normal and abnormal reading in English are described. The significance of these…

Fiscal constraints have limited education budgets in developing countries. Increases necessary to expand access to highly subsidized and publicly provided education have not been forthcoming. Another concern is that education is being inadequately and inefficiently provided by the public sector. This study is an inquiry into the nature of the…

The College Outcome Measures Program (COMP) and the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) examinations were evaluated as measures of the effectiveness of the general education program of the University of Tennessee (Knoxville). The criteria used to evaluate these examinations focused on their construct validity. The data were…

This research summary identifies major factors affecting the validity of language assessments in bilingual students. The four factors include: (1) determining which language is dominant and in which language the child should be tested; (2) recognizing that bilingual children may use language in a way that is qualitatively different from that of…

Work is reported towards the completion of a prototype duplex-design assessment instrument for grade-12 science. The student course-background questionnaire and the pretest section of the two-stage instrument that was developed were administered to all 134 12th-grade students at St. Clairsville High School (Ohio). Based on the information obtained…

Three tables are provided to aid in the clinical interpretation of factor scores for the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R; 1981). The factor structure of the WAIS-R has proven to be robust across samples, tests, time, statistical analyses, measurement scales, and distortions of the distribution. Information necessary to make…

Results are presented for the 1985-86 administration of achievement tests in the Atlanta (Georgia) Public Schools. The following norm-referenced, standardized tests were administered: California Achievement Tests (CAT) in kindergarten; Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) in grades 1 to 8; and Tests of Achievement and Proficiency (TAP) in grades 9 to…

The Connecticut Mastery Test was designed to assess specific skill levels of students by measuring performance on various learning objectives that students can be expected to master. The grade 4 Connecticut Mastery Test, given for the first time in the fall of 1985, provides information which can be used to improve instruction and the basic skills…

This document reports on the conclusions and recommendations of the European seminars organized by the Committee for the Development of Sport, a subcommittee of the Council of Europe. The seminars addressed: (1) "Energy-saving Measures in Sports Facilities"; (2) "Access to Nature in Mountain Regions"; (3) "Sport for…

This chapter is limited to the specific employment practice of employee testing. The purpose is to distinguish between constitutional and statutory standards for challenging discriminatory testing practices and to propose procedures for developing, administering, and using tests as part of personnel decisions. Four Supreme Court cases are…

This guide is part of a series designed to assist school personnel to profile their data to support local school decisions. The profiling process can be used in school improvement programs. This particular guide describes the measurement of student attitudes toward schooling, about one's schools performance, about feelings toward school as a place…