The purpose of the "Guide to Interpretation" is to assist Rhode Island educators in understanding the links between performance assessment and classroom instruction. This guide offers an overview of the Health Education Performance Assessment taken by all Rhode Island students in grades 5 and 9, an explanation of the scoring process, and…

This volume is a guide for assessing children with dual sensory or severe impairments between the ages of 6 and 15. It presents a functional-ecological assessment process that is individually determined, contextually based, and leads directly to intervention. It begins by discussing the benefits of this model over standardized assessment…

This book is intended to help parents understand more about the tests their children take in school. The pros and cons of different types of tests are explained, and the proper use of standardized tests is discussed. Each chapter contains a brief summary of the topic, with follow-up activities and a list of resources a parent could bring to the…

An action research project was conducted in a fourth-grade classroom (21 students) to determine whether collaboratively created rubrics and authentic assessment strategies such as simulations, portfolios, and models are valid, authentic, and equitable measurement tools that will raise a student's self-esteem through the assessment process. An…

Developed by classroom teachers during the development phase of Minnesota's Graduation Standards, this performance package is made up of locally designed assignments that, taken together, show whether a student has learned and can apply the knowledge and skills related to constructing and delivering speeches in the English language for a variety…

These two newsletters for 1997 highlight the following topics and issues. The July issue reports that community and technical colleges are moving to performance funding as a result of the 1997 Washington state legislature including a performance evaluation proviso for all public higher education institutions. Another article is featured on data…

A study was designed to assist elementary music teachers to create and/or improve methods of assessment for fifth-grade beginning band students. It was conducted from August to December 2002 and included 13 volunteer participants from a rapidly growing student population at an Illinois elementary school. As part of the research process, surveys,…

Changes in assessment policy have resulted in a proliferation of testing in Canadian schools. Advocates claim that more testing will result in greater accountability, but this book states that there is little evidence to support standardized testing from a pedagogical perspective. It examines the effects of standardized testing on educational…

As computers become an integral part of classrooms, educators need to determine if there are uses of computers that are supported by research. Recent research has examined uses of technology in the classroom for writing instruction, electronic literacy environment, and electronic portfolios. Results of these studies on writing instruction indicate…

This study investigated the opinions of college faculty and administrators regarding the purpose, control, and process of performance evaluation, hypothesizing that job orientations and expectations would influence their opinions--that administrators would favor an economic model emphasizing authoritative and quantitative measures; teachers would…

Designed to give primary school teachers some of the tools necessary to prepare their students to do well on the performance based Missouri Assessment Program (MAP), this booklet provides released items from the 1997-1998 MAP Communication Arts test. MAP consists of three reading passages followed by constructed-response items, a formal writing…

Designed to give middle school teachers some of the tools necessary to prepare their students to do well on the performance based Missouri Assessment Program (MAP), this booklet provides released items from the 1997-1998 MAP Communication Arts test. MAP consists of three reading passages followed by constructed-response items, a formal writing…

Designed to give high school teachers some of the tools necessary to prepare their students to do well on the performance based Missouri Assessment Program (MAP), this booklet provides released items from the 1997-1998 MAP Communication Arts test. MAP consists of three reading passages followed by constructed-response items, a formal writing…

Establishing a solid standards-and-assessment system is only the first step toward the ultimate goal of bringing all students to the standards. But without this first step, all others will fall short. The paper explains the essential role of standards and assessments in improving student achievement and offers solutions to challenges districts…

This handbook was developed to give tutors of adult education information and ideas about assessing adult learning. It can be used as a reference for information about assessment and as a practical tool for tutors. Section 1, Introduction to Assessment in Adult Learning, includes information on these topics: what assessment is, how to assess, why…