This paper provides information on testing programs for elementary and secondary school students that are administered or coordinated by the Office of Educational Accountability within the Wisconsin State Department of Public Instruction. The first section provides background and definitions of assessment alternatives, including various types of…

The purpose of this paper is threefold. First, the description of a research plan for a large-scale computer adaptive testing program migrating from a network to Internet version is presented. The general areas needed in such a research plan include: (1) comparability studies; (2) psychometric analyses; (3) development projects; (4) validity…

This paper describes an assessment and evaluation effort occurring in the context of a middle school science curriculum development effort known as Learning by Design (LBD). The LBD approach builds on a body of cognitive science and professional education research that emphasizes learning from problem-solving experience. The assessment and…

There is an appealing logic associated with current models of test-based accountability: the interplay among content standards, state tests, and accountability is a powerful tool to improve the quality of schools. However, when high-stakes consequences are attached to test results for schools, teachers, and students, unexpected consequences may…

The first section of this report guides Delaware educators through the decision-making process for participation in the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP) for students with disabilities and for students who are dually eligible as a student with a disability and limited English proficient (SD/LEP).The second section will guide Delaware…

Author reviewed the final section, composed of five chapters, of Philosophical Redirection of Educational Research'', and concerns himself with themes of pro-science and anti-science in the educational research community. (Author/RK)

Believing that educational reforms are overdue, the author proposes three radical solutions: only validated instructional programs should be implemented, results of systematic public assessments of pupil achievements in learning should be published annually, and teachers should periodically submit evidence of learning achievement in their classes.…

Presents a history of special services offered to the handicapped student taking the SAT, indicating regional usage of the testing program and usage according to types of disability. Reviews recent developments in testing services for disabled students with specifics as to test administration and interpretation. (RC)

Examination results were compared among pupils at three schools with different provision policies for the 16+ examinations. Results at both 16+ and "A" level confirm previous findings that intelligence and social background relate significantly to examination performance. The school policy variations were also found to significantly…

Discusses the need for and the skill development and comprehensive approaches to postsecondary developmental education. Describes three models of student assessment/placement and proposes a five-step model. Considers the establishment of proficiency standards, screening test selection, student processing, assistance centers, and evaluation. (AYC)

Examined reports by mathematics teachers of their degree of familiarity with various standards and assessments, then compared these reports with teachers' reports of their instructional practices in the classroom. Teacher awareness of state curriculum guides and state assessments has increased since 1995. (SLD)

A method to investigate consequential evidence of validity for a state assessment developed to change teacher instructional practices is presented. Survey responses from over 1,000 Kansas teachers were used to construct a path model that allowed effects of the state assessment to be studied at building and teacher levels. (SLD)

Addresses the tension that exists in the present reform movement in science education related to rigor and accountability. Points out that the tension is between standards, benchmarks, and high stakes testing on one hand, and student-centered approaches to teaching and learning on the other. (Contains 25 references.) (DDR)

Studied a policy requiring students to obtain a specified level of performance on a state's reading proficiency test. Analyses of the scores of 5,611 students show a high degree of agreement among educators' judgments and students' performance, but they also show that educators' operational definitions of adequate preparation in reading vary in…

Means of interpreting norm-referenced tests to lead to more accurate reporting results are discussed, with particular emphasis on state-level and district-level data. Suggestions fall into the categories of documentation, frequency norming, and multiple form use. (TJH)