In June 1995, the Scottish Council for Research in Education began a 5-month study of the Standard Entrance Examination (SET) to the police in Scotland. The first phase was an analysis of existing recruitment and selection statistics from the eight Scottish police forces. Phase Two was a study of two police forces using a case study methodology.…

The purpose of this document is to provide practical guidance and support for the design, development, and implementation of large-scale assessment systems that are grounded in research and best practice. Information is included about existing large-scale testing efforts, including national testing programs, state testing programs, and…

This qualitative study focused on African American and Latino high school students perceptions of standardized admission tests, including the Scholastic Assessment Tests (I and II) and the ACT Assessment. Students enrolled in college preparatory classes were interviewed about these tests individually and in focus groups in fall 1998 in their…

This chapter briefly describes some of the methods that test developers and psychometricians have devised to identify item and test bias and some of the challenges they still face. Although it may not be reasonable for classroom teachers to use these methods on a day-to-day basis in constructing tests, the authors argue that it is important for…

Ideas about educational assessment are synthesized to construct a Quality Assessment Checklist that can be used to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of classroom assessments. Sound assessment begins with clear and appropriate learning targets. Once learning targets have been identified, they need to be matched with appropriate methods.…

The author discusses educational achievement tests and vocational interest blanks, focusing on the subject of sex bias and its elimination. (RP)

Argues that from a black perspective, the real concern is not merely that of defining intelligence, about which there is lacking a consensus among psychologists, but one which challenges the basic scientific considerations of validity, reliability, and standardization of intelligence tests. (Author/JM)

This article describes the events leading to the National Education Association policy statement that encouraged the elimination of group standardized intelligence aptitude, and achievement tests to assess student potential or achievement until completion of a critical appraisal, review, and revision of current testing programs. The NEA also…

The court cases and legal codes cited in this article include: Brown v. Board of Education, 1954; Hobson v. Hansen, 1967; Diana v. State Board of Education (Calif.), 1970; and, California Education Code, 1972. (SF)

IQ tests are used to judge the mental capacities of black Americans, a fact which places a tremendous ethical responsibility on those involved in IQ test research and administration: most IQ test developers and administrators have abrogated this responsibility. (Author/JM)

Discusses the testing experience as it affects the black community. Contends that nationally standardized tests have: (1) excluded the black population in establishing their norms; (2) become instruments for reinforcement of negative black images; and, (3) been used inadvertently or otherwise to bar blacks from higher education. (DM)

Using two specially constructed tests for synonyms and general knowledge, researchers examined the possibility of deciding which test items will produce expected sex-differentiated results by looking at test-item contents. They found stable sex differences but very limited possibilities of identifying the test items leading to those differences.…