When item response data do not satisfy the unidimensionality assumption, multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) should be used to model the item-examinee interaction. This article presents and discusses MIRT analyses designed to give better insight into what individual items are measuring. (SLD)

Scores from 324 Louisiana schools on the Louisiana Graduation Exit Examination and a within-school split sample of 255 schools indicate that a single subject or grade provides a less consistent and more narrow perspective on school effectiveness than a subcomposite made up of 2 subject areas. (SLD)

Investigated correlations between two intelligence measures for exceptional children. Corrected correlations between the tests indicated differences with correlations reported in one manual. Relationships were generally higher than those reported elsewhere. Implications are discussed, especially those involving the use of correlations between…

Administration of nonverbal IQ tests to 12 children with normal language and 12 with language impairments (ages 8-10) revealed that the children with language impairments had lower scores than controls, and that nonlinguistic deficits of children with language impairments adversely affected their responses to specific types of items on nonverbal…

Principal components analysis of standardization sample data for the Comprehensive Test of Adaptive Behavior, involving 6,647 persons with mental retardation, found that a single factor accounted for 86 percent of the variance in category scores. Use of the Total Score and idiographic item clusters is psychometrically preferable to use of category…

Difficulties inherent in differentiating practice effects from meaningful change in neuropsychological retest data are illustrated in this case study of a personal injury case. Although the patient demonstrated substantial gains on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Revised, most of the tests given on successive days did demonstrate acceptable…

Surveyed counselors (n=672) about extent to which they incorporate basic principles of good testing practices in work and whether practices are learned in preservice education, in service training, or from reading ethical standards/guidelines. Found that many counselors engaged in good test use practices, adhering to many important test-use…

When 43 experienced school psychologists were asked to evaluate discrepancy scores, it was found that they made inconsistent choices, failed to use standard statistical procedures for testing differences between scores, and tended to misinterpret percentile ranks as useful for discrepancy analysis. Implications for learning-disabilities…

Investigated a prior classification of Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) subtests into Verbal and Visual categories. Findings from 45 college students found that memory test performance correlated significantly with performance on subtests of Form II of Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery that measures substrates of particular memory…

Science test results are often used to evaluate differences in achievement between males and females. Analyzes data collected in Ohio at the statewide level and suggests that it could be important to consider the rate of item omission before scores are computed. Contains 17 references. (DDR)

Addresses educational and policy issues related to use and interpretation of intelligence (IQ) tests in schools. Summarizes research on cognitive abilities and origins of individual differences in IQ. Considers implications of findings for educational and social policy. Discusses important issues related to practical application of IQ tests in…

Uses exploratory factor-analysis and confirmatory factor-analysis to identify and cross-validate the factorial structure underlying two group intelligence tests and two group-Piagetian tests. Establishes a high degree of overlap between Piagetian and psychometric intelligence tests, most likely because both types of test appear to measure…

Forty neuropsychologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, and physiatrists identified neurologically relevant items (NRIs) in the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2). Raters identified four sets of NRIs: one for brain damage in general and three partially overlapping sets for stroke, traumatic brain damage, and whiplash.…

Differences among states' average SAT scores are almost entirely attributable to differences in percentage of test takers, parent education and income of test takers, and the high school rank and GPA of the test takers rather than to the quality of the states' education systems. Recommends changes in interpreting and reporting SAT scores.…

The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Self-Report version (BRIEF-SR) is the first self-report measure of executive functioning for adolescents. With the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act authorization, there is a greater need for appropriate assessment of severely impaired children. Recent studies have…