This report presents the results of a nationwide survey on the freshman placement practices of American colleges and universities. The report includes subgroup analyses by degree level, affiliation, size, region, and selectivity. Sources of information used for placement in English and mathematics are reported, including the most commonly found…

Each year when the Educational Testing Services releases state average SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) scores of high school students, Indiana officials are asked why Indiana ranks so low and what's being done to improve it. Leaders reply that scores are lower because more students take the test than in states with higher scores. This report…

The study guide is designed for limited-English-proficient immigrants preparing to take the United States history portion of new citizenship test. An introductory section describes the development of the guide and its field testing. The study guide itself is in large type and simplified English, and consists of five chapters, each focusing on a…

The practice of requiring students seeking admission to a graduate program at Glassboro State College to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is discussed. The paper first reviews the GRE Program: the components of the general test itself; scoring; quantitative measurements; and subject areas. Next, the use of the GRE scores and how they are…

Given the controversy over the use of standardized tests that rely heavily on multiple-choice items reflecting the language, culture, and/or learning style of the middle class majority, arguments are advanced for the use of alternative, supplemental forms of assessment. Informal assessment is defined as techniques that can easily be incorporated…

A study was conducted to address the ethical issues inherent in the teaching of test-taking and test-wiseness skills. A survey, consisting of 11 items was developed and given to 62 preservice and 133 inservice teachers. Questions were classified into 3 categories: (1) general test-taking considerations; (2) standardized test-taking procedures; and…

To help Education Consolidation and Improvement Act Chapter 1 personnel work more effectively with test publishers, a survey was conducted of selected publishers of norm-referenced tests commonly used by Chapter 1 Local Educational Agencies (LEAs). The test publishers included: (1) CTB/McGraw-Hill; (2) The Psychological Corporation; (3) the…

It is now widely recognized, after the publication of four reports on the subject, that public education in the United States is in a state of crisis. This policy paper contends, however, that much of the debate on these reports has been based on distortions of their contents and challenges the current Administration's position which holds that…

This technical report describes the development of the College-Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST), an instrument designed to measure Florida college students' achievement of the computation and communication skills expected by the completion of their sophomore year. Section I covers CLAST's background and purpose, the requirement that all students…

Much of what has developed in the testing of reading harkens back to the days of the "Cult of Efficiency" movement in education that can be largely attributed to Frederick Winslow Taylor. Taylor spent most of his productive years studying time and motion in an attempt to streamline industrial production so that people could work as…

Disaggregation of standardized test data is essential in determining the differential effects of the school's climate and program upon groups of students formed by social class. In a recent secondary school study comparing the outcomes of two approaches to school assessment (the Connecticut School Effectiveness Survey vs. The National Study of…

Although arguments abound concerning school administrators' roles, there is common agreement that principals experience difficulties in prioritizing the numerous demands on their time. In addition to crisis management skills, outstanding administrators exhibit five characteristics identified in an earlier paper. The present paper focuses on…

Commercially available tests and measurement instruments for use with English-speaking subjects are described and reviewed. Only tests that are new, have been revised since last reviewed in the Mental Measurements Yearbook series, or are considered established and highly used are included. The contents are as follows: (1) a bibliography of…

The availability of relatively inexpensive hand calculators and microcomputers is believed to be having an important effect on the teaching of mathematics and science in the United States. The appropriateness of allowing the use of this technology on standardized tests has become a concern of educators and organizations involved in testing.…

This digest highlights one tool that teachers use--standardized tests--from the parent's viewpoint. The discussion covers basic features of testing and suggests questions that a parent might ask his or her child's teacher concerning such tests. Standardized tests are usually objective tests sold by commercial publishers and designed to provide a…