Representing some of the holdings of the Test Center lending library of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, this annotated bibliography presents information on 105 journal articles, books, chapters of books, and other materials dealing with alternative reading assessment. Many of the entries in the annotated bibliography are informal…

An educational leadership program that combines student portfolios and an educational platform as student assessment measures is described in this paper. Beginning with a brief discussion of the purposes and mechanics of portfolios and platforms, the paper then describes how these assessment measures are integrated into an educational leadership…

A study examined the views of education professionals toward four aspects of portfolio assessment: general knowledge, theoretical bases, contents, and practical problems. Subjects, 128 elementary teachers, secondary teachers, special reading teachers, and administrators attending a June 1990 reading workshop, completed a survey. Results indicated…

A product of 3 years' experience in administering the Miami University Portfolio Writing Program, this handbook is designed to assist college faculty in administering a portfolio writing assessment program for incoming students (based on a collection of their best high school writing). The handbook's five chapters are: (1) Introduction: Portfolio…

Dealing with flexibility--or its converse, the extent of standardization--is fundamental to alignment, assessment design, and interpretation of results in fully inclusive assessment systems. Highly standardized tests make it easier to compare (performances, students, and schools) across time and to common standards because certain conditions are…

This chapter discusses alternatives beyond traditional standardized tests or curriculum standards consisting of naive checklists of low-level facts and skills to operationally define educational goals in ways that provide direction for both instruction and accountability. Suggestions are drawn from physical and social sciences as well as from…

Utah's Alternate Assessment (UAA) is one of six components of the Utah Performance Assessment System for Students (U-PASS). UAA is designed to assess the achievement of students in grades 1 through 12 with significant cognitive disabilities. It was developed to fulfill two main purposes: (1) To address federal legislative mandates that all…

This issue includes the following articles: "New Rule Increases Flexibility for Students with Disabilities," which discusses a new provision of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) that will give local school districts greater flexibility in meeting the Act's requirement for educating students with disabilities; "The Three R's for Success.…

There is a growing consensus among educational researchers that traditional problem-based assessments are not effective tools for diagnosing a student's knowledge state and for guiding pedagogical intervention, and that new tools grounded in the results of cognitive science research are needed. The ConMap ("Conceptual Mapping") project, described…

This report addresses challenges associated with the reporting of test scores of students with disabilities participating in alternate assessments. It summarizes six models currently under construction or already being used by states. Using proficiency levels as a common reporting approach, the six models are: (1) same proficiency levels for…

This study describes a program for improving the feedback of student achievement to parents, teachers, and administrators through the use of alternative forms of assessment. The targeted population consisted of students in three Midwestern unit school districts: two kindergarten classes and fifth and sixth graders in a combined class. Data from…

The 2000-2001 school year brought changes in statewide testing in Montana and in assessment requirements tied to two federal programs, Title I and Special Education. This document provides guidance to districts about their responsibilities relative to the involvement of students served by these programs in statewide assessment, describing the ways…

Needs assessment has been regarded as a critical stage in the curriculum development process. However, theoretical efforts aiming at proper formulation of this stage are disappointingly rare in the curriculum literature. This article is based on the recognition of this fact and proposes a multilevel conception of needs assessment in the curriculum…

The momentum toward reform of science education brings pressures on schools and teachers to evaluate or otherwise account for children's progress in science. Although this interest can bring with it a certain amount of rush to judgment, it brings an opportunity to explore assessment alternatives that are fundamentally different from conventional…

Calls for school reform and performance have crested and receded many times this century. Establishing rigorous academic standards will revolutionize education and improve equity, and standards enjoy popular support. Standards require: (1) proficiency by students of all grades in a variety of subjects; (2) assessment testing; and (3) cooperation…