As performance-based assessments have gained wider use, there are increasing concerns about their dependability. This study is a synthesis of existing studies regarding the reliability or generalizability of performance assessments. The meta-analysis involves summarizing, examining, and evaluating research findings. Articles on the dependability…

Bringing structure to the reading assessment process, this paper presents a draft proposal of an assessment structure which practitioners can follow, one which can be applied systematically within the Instructional Support Team process across Pennsylvania. After some background information, the paper briefly discusses features of effective reading…

Operating within a milieu of social, political, and economic change, educators are under increasing pressure to provide information about their instructional efforts. As instructors are called upon to do different types of teaching and to conduct their teaching differently, evaluation procedures must also address these changes. Self-appraisal…

This digest offers principles of performance assessment as an alternative to norm-referenced tests. The definition of performance assessment developed by the U.S. Congress's Office of Technology and Assessment is given, common features are listed, and the terms "performance" and "authentic" are defined. Suggested guidelines for…

While no one instrument can accurately evaluate or assess every college or university debate program, two separate frameworks can be established based in forensics and assessment literature. The first framework is a descriptive/analytic/evaluative framework for a debate program based on the philosophies of the several national conferences on…

This text provides a comprehensive framework for the direct assessment of academic skills. Presented is a readily applicable, four-step approach for working with students experiencing a range of difficulties with reading, spelling, written language, or math. School-based practitioners are guided sequentially through assessment of the instructional…

Performance-based assessment in teacher education, what does it mean? How can colleges and schools of education bring together faculty across programs and within programs to develop and implement a performance based assessment program for their candidates? This volume is designed to share elements of effective PBAs, examine the issues related to…

This compilation provides an introduction to using scoring rubrics in the classroom. When good rubrics are used well, teachers and students receive extensive feedback on the quality and quantity of student learning. When scoring rubrics are used in large-scale assessment, technical questions related to interrater reliability tend to dominate the…

In September 1999, the Maryland Higher Education Commission adopted a peer-based model for the establishment of funding guidelines for the University System of Maryland and Morgan State University. The guidelines are designed to inform the budget process by providing a funding standard and a basis for comparison between institutions. The basic…

As the charter-school option has expanded across the country, contracting for educational management services is an increasingly available and attractive choice for charter-school governing boards and founding groups. To make contractual relationships work well, charter-school boards need to strike an effective balance between fulfilling their…

In 1996, a subcommittee of the State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards commissioned a study of the use of performance-based assessments in large-scale accountability systems. The idea was to look into current state assessment work on performance-based assessments to see what has been learned, but not widely reported, by those who…

This study, one of a series designed to answer practical questions about performance based assessment, examined the comparability of school scores on short, nonparallel test forms. The data were obtained from mathematics tests with both multiple choice (MC) and performance assessment (PA) items. The tests were administered in a statewide testing…

This study used a qualitative research methodology to examine how four primary teachers used a district literacy performance assessment. Data were collected through observations, interviews, and documents. Grounded theory and NUD*IST software were used for text analysis and theory building. Findings show that a theory-grounded teacher-empowered…

In constructivist learning environments, assessment becomes part of the pedagogical process rather than remaining isolated from instruction, thus enhancing learning. Teachers express concern about being too subjective when implementing performance assessments in their classrooms and need specific training to modify traditional beliefs. Social…

There are many ways guidance counselors can help teachers achieve more optimal reading instruction. Counselors first may have to ascertain the kinds of problems faced by a student in learning to read. Assessing a student's ability to use picture clues to decipher words may be necessary with primary grade students. Knowledge about phonics, using…