This book is designed to provide the occupational teacher with knowledge of the basic principles and methods of measurement, test construction, and evaluation that can be applied in the classroom and used to assess student progress. Because no one occupation receives most of the attention, the book can be readily used in general occupational…

This book reports the analyses and recommendations of a study group formed by the National Research Council to develop conceptual guidelines that make content the driving force in mathematics assessment reform and to explore a variety of related measurement and policy issues. The document focuses on three principles that underlie effective…

Development of an instrument to measure baseline levels of applied Total Quality Management (TQM) practices in South Dakota before the introduction and dissemination of TQM theory to the state's educational leaders is described. Using the interpretation of Deming's 14 points that was developed by J. J. Bonstigl, a 115-item initial item pool was…

The stages of development and reporting of a statewide needs assessment about inservice teacher education that was conducted with educators in Alabama during the 1992-93 school year are described. The first phase was development of a pilot instrument by focus groups. The instrument was tested with 559 workshop participants, and the final…

Procedures are described to determine reliability and validity of the Brockton (Massachusetts) Battery's Tests of Reading Readiness and the Adaptive Behavior Scales, which were developed to assess performance levels of Hispanic, Portuguese, and Cape Verdean normal and high risk children. Among reasons given for development of the instruments are…

The proficiency-based German program in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University occupies an essential and integral but not central role in the overall foreign service program. It includes three years' instruction, in addition to the two years required for admission. Three levels are offered, and although students may take the…

The Center for the Study of Evaluation of the Graduate School of Education at the University of California at Los Angeles hosted a two-day conference on "Paths to Excellence: Testing and Technology" on July 14-15, 1983. Attended by over 100 educational researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, day one of the conference focused on issues in…

This paper discusses the content of the social studies tests of the 1981-82 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Selected social studies and citizenship items were administered to 3,200 students aged 9, 13, and 17 and to adults aged 26-35. Twelve sources describing the social studies tests were reviewed, particularly the Citizenship…

Elaborated as a response to a traditional set of secondary school poetry examinations that are called "sterile and outmoded," this report resulted from a series of seminars held in England by literature educators. The report offers extensive guidelines for modernizing the exams, examples of student critical writing about particular poems, and…

Studies of sex differences in test performance have identified the content of test items, the context in which they are set, and the constructs purportedly underlying the item as important variables influencing performance. Test content often reflects experiences that traditional social roles have discouraged women from exploring. Often, the item…

This study investigated the "customization" of a standardized achievement test to measure the effect on group and individual scores. "Customization" refers to the modification of an existing test to more closely match test specifications of the entity using the test, usually a state or large school district. Results of an…

An activity was undertaken to develop written criterion-referenced tests for the forestry component of Applied Principles of Agribusiness and Natural Resources. Intended for tenth grade students who have completed Fundamentals of Agribusiness and Natural Resources Occupations, applied principles were designed to consist of three components, with…

The process of development of tests for teacher certification in Tennessee is described. In response to the Tennessee Comprehensive Education Reform Act of 1984 requiring the use of tests for individuals seeking initial teacher licensure, the Department of Education identified 12 areas of teacher endorsement for which no currently validated and…

In response to a mandate from the California State Legislature, the California Board of Corrections conducted a three-phase research study in preparation for the revision and standardization of the current state standards for hiring and training corrections personnel. The primary focus of the second phase of the project was on the development and…

This paper reviews eight major problem areas concerning testing practices of interest to professionals practicing psychology in the schools. These areas, identified by the Task Force on Psychology in the Schools of the American Psychological Association, include: (1) test use; (2) diagnostic versus placement tests; (3) informed parental consent…