External assessments for accountability may be taking precedence over other educational assessment purposes and are beginning to direct teaching and learning in schools. Four common concerns include teaching to the tests, narrowing instructional focus and allowing tests to determine curricula, deemphasizing higher order thinking skills, and…

The aptitude tests used in Queensland (Australia) to standardize secondary school leavers' school evaluations was assessed for reliability with various student group sizes and for a range of abilities. The error found was significant for small and moderately sized groups, suggesting the need for care in test interpretation. (Author/MSE)

Meta-analysis of 225 hypothesis tests of measures of memory for order (MFO) and the relationship of MFO and measures of general ability demonstrate a significant relationship between MFO and standardized test scores. Fifty-one independent samples were tested. MFO task quality was a significant predictor of effect size. (SLD)

This study examined the construct validity of the KeyMath-Revised by testing the factorial model proposed by the test author. Results failed to confirm the proposed factorial model and suggested that the KeyMath-Revised assesses two domains that are difficult to interpret, rather than the three proposed by the test author. (Author/JDD)

Recent emphases on school readiness and standardized testing have resulted in educational practices with negative consequences for children. These practices include a higher school entry age, grade retention, transition programs, and the practice of enrolling children in kindergarten when they are six, rather than five, years old. (BC)

Five major steps are involved in evaluating school reading programs: clarifying evaluators' role, data collection, data analysis, data reporting, and followup. This article explains these steps and presents a checklist for guiding the measurement of motivation, clarification, application, and satisfaction components. (MLH)

Stanford Professor Lee Shulman reflects on the limitations of effective teaching generalizations and describes how case histories, or specific stories about classroom experience, can enrich our collective wisdom of experience. Certain "effective teaching" practices (like asking short, focused questions suitable for standardized testing) do not…

Discusses the use of standardized test results as a guide to developing curriculum content. Discusses such a plan being used (and offers data gathered) at Hellgate Elementary School, Montana, as an example. (JC)

The Wechsler Individual Achievement Test assesses achievement in students in grades K-12, with subtests in reading, mathematics reasoning, spelling, reading comprehension, numerical operations, listening comprehension, oral expression, and written expression. The test was developed to assist in identification of students with learning…

Criteria are presented for determining whether licensure and/or achievement test results should be used for making various types of comparisons and judgments about medical education programs. The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and National Board of Medical Examiners tests (NBME) are then considered as data sources. (Author/MSE)

Discusses the work of Susan Isaacs on assessing and recording the progress of infant school children in Britain between 1934 and 1936. Compares Isaacs' approach to that advocated in a 1992 book on assessment in early childhood education edited by Blenkin and Kelly. Concludes that Isaacs' work still has a contribution to make to educational…

This article discusses issues and difficulties encountered in efforts at the University of Birmingham (England) to standardize a new psychometric assessment tool, a tactile speed-of-information-processing test for children with blindness. The problem of defining the population on which the test is standardized is seen as particularly difficult.…

Reviews legal arguments used to challenge traditional testing programs in prior litigation and indicates how these arguments might be applied in a performance-assessment application. Examines discrimination challenges to performance assessments in employment contexts. Suggests ways to deal with the psychometric issues most likely to be encountered…

A study of 175 Jefferson Medical College (Pennsylvania) students compared psychosocial characteristics with basic science examination grades, clinical examination grades, and ratings of clinical competence as performance measures. Results indicate the noncognitive psychosocial measures are significant and unique predictors of medical school…

Sixty-three preservice teachers were asked to respond to the idea of cheating while administering a standardized test to their students. Over half said they would cheat under certain conditions, such as benefit to the students or if the test was inappropriate. Cheating considered acceptable included giving hints, rewording items, and teaching to…