Study results do not demonstrate that early reading is made possible by precocity in speech-sound segmentation, blending, or discrimination ability, but that the complex skill involving the manipulation of sounds in temporal order may be more closely related to early reading ability. (AEA)

The validity of the equipercentile hypothesis of the Title I Evaluation and Reporting System norm-referenced evaluation model was examined using 3,224 seventh- and ninth-grade students. Findings from confidence interval procedures contradicted the equipercentile hypothesis. There was a pattern of large gains for students not receiving any special…

Describes the development of a program to improve school productivity in Richland County (South Carolina) School District One. Lists the program's six criteria, involving reading and mathematics test performance, teacher and student attendance, and parent and student attitudes. Presents the results of the program's first year. (RW)

Argues that, in determining if a standardized test task and a classroom performance task are the same, educators should carefully analyze the tasks in terms of the input modality (stimulus) and the output modality (response). (FL)

This study examined how local content specialists performed when applying the Angoff and Nedelsky standard setting procedures to objective-referenced instruments in reading and mathematics. Results revealed several differences between the standard setting procedures in terms of both level and consistency of the cut scores generated. (Author/BW)

The predictive validity of the Minnesota Reading Assessment (MRA) when used to project potential performance of postsecondary vocational-technical education students was examined. Findings confirmed the MRA to be a valid predictor, although the error in prediction varied between the criterion variables. (Author/GK)

A reading practices survey of 138 Arizona secondary learning disabled teachers was conducted. Among results were that 65 percent of special educators indicated access to reading specialist/instructed programs; the Individualized Reading Approach was the method used most; and the special educator was the professional mainly responsible for reading…

The Rasch model was used to equate reading comprehension tests of widely different difficulty for three groups of fifth grade students of widely different ability. Under these extreme circumstances, the Rasch model equating was unsatisfactory. (Author/CTM)

A study attempted to identify those performance-related factors that were responsible for subjects' errors on one measure of functional literacy. The analysis of errors revealed that the majority of errors could be explained in terms of information processing failures. (MKM)

Cautions that weighting errors on an oral reading test in line with miscue analysis procedures can lead to inappropriate independent reading level placement. (MKM)

Describes the test, The Degrees of Reading Power, developed by the New York State Education Department for use as a formalized "informal reading inventory." (MKM)

Indicates that second, third, and fourth grade children performed significantly better on an easily discriminable word identification test than on a highly confusing version. (FL)

Analyzes eight variables in diagnostic tests to determine which are the most predictive of reading levels and then discusses how much each variable adds to this prediction and whether the answers are equally applicable to grades three, six, and nine. (FL)

Can a classroom teacher find happiness with a remedial reading specialist in a coordinated curriculum? (Editor)