In 1990, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) included a Trial State Assessment (TSA); for the first time in the NAEP's history, voluntary state-by-state assessments (37 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Virgin Islands) were made. The sample was designed to represent the 8th grade public school population in a state…

An assessment of the Student Perception of Teaching Effectiveness instrument (SPTE) is presented. The SPTE was developed to assess teaching interns' performance from the student's viewpoint. The Texas Teacher Appraisal System was selected as the content base for the development of the SPTE. The Texas system covers instructional strategies,…

At this conference on educational assessment, there was consensus among participants on the importance of the use of assessment to improve instruction, enhance the curriculum, and allow policy makers to measure achievement. There was less consensus about the best forms of assessment to use. The following conference papers are provided in this…

To understand how assessment, particularly alternative assessment, and practice interactions may differ among schools with different implementation contexts and different school cultures, this project is studying over time a set of schools representing different state and local policy contexts and including different student populations. Research…

This report outlines the overall design and implementation of Teacher Support Teams (TSTs), a concept developed under the auspices of the Massachusetts Board of Education to help administrators, teachers, and other school personnel and parents to identify at-risk students in regular education. TSTs, developed at individual schools and…

For 1989, the ninth year of standardized norm-referenced achievement testing mandated by the Arizona State Legislature, the Arizona State Board of Education adopted the Riverside Basic Skills Assessment Program (RBSAP). According to the RBSAP, the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills are administered to students in grades 1 through 8, and the Tests of…

This report measures how well Maryland educators are working together to provide a public education that meets the long- and short-term needs of homeless children and youth by providing environments that support their physical, social, and emotional growth. It outlines accomplishments for the 1990-91 school year, recommends ways of addressing…

In 1986, Illinois implemented the Children at Risk of Educational Failure preschool program. By the 1991-1992 school year, almost 25,000 children were enrolled in the program. This document reports on accessibility to, and community involvement in, the program, and instructional and evaluation practices used in the program. The section on…

The Pre-Professional Skills Tests (PPST) of reading, mathematics, and writing are three separate tests designed to measure basic proficiency in these areas. In response to a mandate from the State Legislature, the Minnesota Board of Teaching adopted these tests, developed by the Educational Testing Service. An evaluation of the 3 years of…

This document presents 10 papers concerning the 1990 Trial State Assessment, which was restricted to the eighth-grade public school population in 37 states, the District of Columbia, and 2 U.S. territories. The following are the papers: (1) "A Critique of Sampling in the 1990 Trial State Assessment" (Bruce D. Spencer); (2)…

Consultations with and written submissions from practitioners and administrators provided the basis for this overview of adult basic education in Victoria, Australia. Based on the findings, recommendations were formulated to allocate new funds to improve programing. The recommendations center on these issues: (1) the need for greater understanding…

A revision of a manual first produced in 1980, this guide is designed to help local school districts in Minnesota meet the educational needs of their limited-English-proficient (LEP) students in academically and administratively expedient ways. The chapters in the manual, which correspond to topics pertinent to designing and maintaining an LEP…

This report discusses the potential for computers and other educational technologies to aid in school restructuring in New York State. Issues involved in such a restructuring are examined and include: (1) the need for a common effort in creating a state program; (2) current practices and current realities in the classroom; (3) current uses of such…

This report provides information related to the Texas State Library's fiscal year 1992 Library Services and Construction Act (LSCA) 20 U.S.C. 351 et seq. state-administered program. Information provided includes: (1) Standard Form 424 for federal assistance; (2) fiscal breakdowns of estimated expenditures; (3) specific requirements for maintenance…

The California Academic Partnership Program (CAPP) is a state-established and state-funded program involving public schools and both public and private colleges. CAPP funds curriculum development and diagnostic testing partnerships in accordance with its goal of developing cooperative efforts to improve the academic quality of public secondary…