Following the journey of one elementary school as its teachers strived to provide appropriate and authentic learning activities for all students, this book explicates the development and use of rubrics and how they fit into an effective and authentic assessment program. After a preface, chapters are: (1) Introduction to Rubrics; (2) Developing and…

This report concentrates on the reliance of community colleges on part-time faculty. Also included are descriptions of the working conditions and demographics of part-time faculty. The report analyzes different patterns of part-time faculty teaching by subject area and a review of the research on the quality of teaching by part-time faculty. Key…

The purpose of this study was to examine the construct validity of a performance assessment program, the Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP). Based on analyses of the longitudinal associations of Grade 5 MSPAP data in 1996 with Grade 3 MSPAP data in 1994, the following hypothesis was examined: the unattentuated correlation or…

In light of the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requiring the inclusion of students with disabilities in state and district assessments, this report summarizes findings of a research synthesis designed to provide empirically based data to inform states regarding decision making for assessment polices. The…

This report reviews the proposed Virginia Higher Education Performance Funding Model. It includes an overview of the proposed funding model, examples of likely funding scenarios (including determination of block grants, assumptions underlying performance funding for four-year and two-year institutions); information on deregulation/decentralization…

Academic self-efficacy beliefs of 204 Korean high school freshmen were solicited in Korean, English, and math by using (a) specific problems, (b) task descriptions, and (c) general statements referring to each domain. Regardless of the assessment specificity, self-efficacy judgments demonstrated certain degrees of generality. Cross-domain…

This study examined the use of the Pathwise Performance Assessment as a framework for helping prospective mentors to view entry-year teachers' performance in accord with the research on novice teachers' performance. Participants were teachers, principals, and a central office administrator, most of whom had never conducted an observation of…

This final report describes the outcomes of Project MAPS (Monitoring Authentic Problem Solving), a project that developed multimedia computer-managed assessment environments to overcome the barriers educators face in using problem-solving performance assessment (PSPA) with students with disabilities. MAPS software was developed for 6 alternate…

The urgent need for an effective performance-based assessment tool that can make the connection between effective teaching and student learning has spurred action by expert educators. The Teacher Work Sample Methodology (TWSM) is a quality assurance system that can assess what students learn, how well they learn it, progress they make in their…

This paper examines four aspects of current high stakes testing that impact minority students and others traditionally underserved by American education. Data from research conducted at Boston College over 30 years highlight 4 issues: high stakes, high standards tests do not have a markedly positive effect on teaching and learning; high stakes…

In this interview with New American Schools (NAS) editors, the author explains how design-based assistance to schools works and suggests reasons why it might help schools become more successful in teaching all students to high standards. Questions cover such areas as the features of the NAS effort that distinguish it from other well-known models;…

Long a controversial topic in the specialized world of reference librarianship, unobtrusive evaluation is a useful tool in gauging the degree to which reference librarians are effectively performing their jobs. Based on a nationwide survey of government documents reference service in Canada, This book examines the broad philosophical implications…

This study examined transitions into and out of poverty and welfare across 4-year time periods and their implications for math and reading skills and behavior among 10- and 11-year-olds. Analyses of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth-Child Supplement indicate that even with controls for factors that select families into poverty,…

The purpose of this study was to describe the validation of a new instrument called the Teacher Communication Behavior Questionnaire (TCBQ). This instrument is meant for use in assessing students' perceptions of their interactions with their teacher by focusing on their teachers' communicating behaviors. The study described in this paper occurred…

Intended primarily for senior graduate students seriously considering a job in academia, this book begins with a discussion of available jobs in academia and how to get one. Chapter 1, "Employment Opportunities in Academia," explores the American higher educational system and the pros and cons of choosing an academic career. Chapter 2, "Getting an…