This article examines undergraduate course tests, letter symbol grades, and grade point averages within the context of three dominant undergraduate models of instruction: (1) information dispensing; (2) training of scholars; and (3) personnel selection agency for society. Argues for critical examination of these forces and models to prevent the…

D. M. Stewart does not adequately portray the problems, or sufficiently assess socioeconomic and political realities with respect to African Americans today. The lack of neutrality and objectivity in standardized tests must be recognized, and alternative forms of assessment are imperative to provide equal access to education for African Americans.…

This paper discusses how to determine whether a test was developed in a legally defensible manner, reviewing general issues, specific cases bearing on different types of test use, some evaluative dimensions, and evidence of test quality. Tests constructed and used according to existing standards will generally stand legal scrutiny. (SLD)

Discusses research on identifying underrepresentation of minority students in gifted education programs; intelligences and talents that are not identified by IQ tests; expanded strategies for finding talent; 10 guidelines for finding and serving gifted African-American students; and the social, cultural, and psychological needs of gifted…

The transition from paper-based to computer-based assessment raises a number of important issues about how mode might affect children's performance and question answering strategies. In this project 104 eleven-year-olds were given two sets of matched mathematics questions, one set on-line and the other on paper. Facility values were analyzed to…

Although the special education system has become a central institutional mechanism for addressing school failure and low achievement, it is a system unresponsive to the needs of Chicano students. Despite the severity of problems of school failure for Chicano students, interactions with the special education system have largely been characterized…

This paper contends that much of the time and money devoted to standardized testing in the United States is misspent. Too many tests are poorly constructed, unreliable, and unevenly administered. Multiple-choice tests cannot measure thinking skills or real problem-solving ability. In addition, many examinations are biased racially, culturally,…

Salem-Teikyo University (STU) (West Virginia) has been charged with developing a student assessment plan to be fully implemented by 1995. This report is a first step toward this plan, presenting the perspective, paradigms, possibilities, and a proposal for the assessment of student outcomes. The perspective advocated is that of the Center for…

This booklet has been written to help persons interested in assessment of education and training programs in general and competency-based vocational education programs in particular. The following topics are covered in the individual sections: the meaning of the term "assessment"; the importance of assessment; curriculum models; percentages and…

Alternative resources, which differentiate language differences from language disorders among bilingual children, are needed for assessment of culturally and linguistically diverse students. Standardized testing is especially troublesome when there are few testing substitutes and no translations in their language, which may incorrectly identify…

This book contains 10 papers on solutions and barriers to improving the access of Hispanic American students to higher education. Following an introductory essay on: "Advances in Assessment and the Potential for Increasing the Number of Hispanics in Higher Education" (G. D. Keller), the papers are organized into four parts. Papers in…

This paper illuminates the physiological, socio-cultural, and linguistic obstacles which occur due to the interaction between American Indian cultures and the Anglo educational system and which make the identification of gifted and talented American Indian children difficult. It demonstrates the need for more culturally appropriate ways of…

A 1982 study revealed that American Indians comprise .8% of public school students, but only .3% of those participating in gifted programs, whereas respective White figures are 73.3% and 82%. Factors contributing to the inappropriateness of standardized assessment tools for identification of gifted American Indian students are neglect of…

The relationship between the relative language proficiencies of bilingual children and their scores on tests administered in one or both languages was studied in students referred to special education because of suspected learning disabilities. Bilingual Hispanic students (25 males and 15 females) in grades 2 through 4 from an urban school…

While the seventh and ninth grade Maryland Functional Mathematics Tests (MFMT) appear valid and well constructed, the 65 percent passing rate for Montgomery County Public Schools' ninth grade students raises questions about the 81 percent passing score set for the MFMT. This standard is far stiffer than the 59 percent set for the Maryland…