This article offers an overview of educational reform and outlines its implications for gifted African-American students. The lack of attention to equity issues in reform reports is documented and prerequisites for success in educational reform are cited, such as performance-based assessment and site-based management. (JDD)

Describes a composition teacher's efforts to diagnose her vocational college students' literacy skills by using a more authentic performance assessment that integrates reading and writing. (SR)

After the Kentucky Supreme Court declared Kentucky's educational system unconstitutional, the state launched a unique, comprehensive restructuring effort. Top-down state education department reforms include development of world-class curriculum standards, a statewide authentic assessment system, and a school accountability system linking sanctions…

An alternative vision of assessment for technology teacher education views assessment as an essential activity conducted by teacher educators to improve teaching and learning rather than to support accreditation and teacher licensure decision making. (Author)

A method is proposed to combine a relative approach and an absolute approach to performance appraisal by combining graphic rating and ranking. Two studies involving 196 college undergraduates who rated their instructors illustrate the promise offered by the proposed Qualitative Ranking Scale. (SLD)

To support educational reforms, new assessments must stress the performance of complex, holistic tasks, not snippets of performance in segments, elements, or chunks of complex tasks. Sidebars present helpful guidelines for developing staff and creating an assessment. Assessments can assume numerous shapes, including budgeting activities,…

Authentic and direct assessment of performance and products are examined in light of contrasting functions and purposes with implications for validation, especially those of specialized validity criteria for performance assessment. The roles of positive and negative consequences of validation are underscored, along with the need for evidence of…

A new definition of quality education based on performance and achievement is surfacing in Des Moines (Iowa). School restructuring is focusing stakeholder attention on systemic changes that mean that the quality of education will be judged on how students have been prepared for life. Restructuring efforts are outlined. (SLD)

Performance assessment could be the key to restructuring schools for higher standards and improved accountability, and at the very least should add an expanded dimension to educational assessment. Defines performance assessment, reviews some of the research on this topic, and addresses some of the issues regarding performance assessment of concern…

Argues that community colleges are becoming more reliant on support from external stakeholders to design programs and deliver services to customers. Suggests that colleges need to supplement traditional academic indicators of performance with external indicators, which involves a shift from a closed to an open systems-assessment approach. (JDI)

Describes simple conceptual framework for academic intervention that extends functional-analysis procedures to basic academic skills. Organizes research into five hypotheses that can guide interventions. Presents treatment for six academic interventions and procedures for testing effectiveness. Discussion of procedures includes design issues,…

Reports findings from three studies investigating the efficacy of an instructional model designed to promote self-regulation, the Strategic Content Learning (SCL) approach. Each study comprised multiple in-depth case studies involving postsecondary students with learning disabilities who ranged in age from 19 to 48 years. Implications for theory,…

Provides a rationale for advocating the development of culturally responsive performance-based assessments as a means of achieving equity for students of color. Notes arguments for and against these assessments and explores psychometric concerns. Recommends the modification of existing test-development procedures to incorporate the participation…

Explores some aspects of the debate surrounding teacher assessment and raises questions about what is missing in so-called authentic assessments of teachers. Some proposed assessments may actually reinscribe narrow teaching practices that do not serve children of color and children living in poverty well. (Author/SLD)

Identified school change in reading achievement on a statewide, high-stakes performance assessment. Meta-analyses of the effects of instructional practices in reading on achievement indicated that reading achievement change was directly associated with the characteristics of the school reading program in higher grades. Effects of instructional…