The purposes of this study were to (1) describe the performance of Louisiana's prospective teachers on the Common Examinations of the National Teacher Examinations (NTE) in relation to national averages, and (2) determine strengths and weaknesses in the test performance of Louisiana's prospective teachers. Prospective teachers in Louisiana were…

This document describes the theory and practice of testing; illuminates competing interests in a balanced fashion; and helps those who make decisions with tests or about testing to reach better-informed judgments. Part 1, the report of the Committee, presents a wide-ranging discussion of testing issues. The text has been kept largely free of the…

A three-year research project aims to describe and analyze how school district management of educational testing and evaluation can better link these activities to instructional improvement, according to this first annual report. After chronicling the first year's activities, the authors discuss their use of case studies, interviews, and…

A number of brief papers are presented to provide guidelines for test directors of school systems. This collection is intended for both newly appointed and experienced directors. Contributions were solicited from practicing directors of testing; the authors include Anthony J. Allen, Margaret Backman, Joan Bollenbacker, Gerald Hanna, James Lawson;…

The computer management system described, which administers tests and provides feedback to examinees, as well as progress summaries to instructional personnel, has been implemented at Florida State University. Located in the Assessment Resource Center (ARC), it has been used to manage the instruction of several thousand students enrolled in…

The educational accountability movement is changing the teacher's role in curriculum development from that of autonomous decision maker to agent of public school policy makers. To assess teacher reactions to factors influencing their autonomy, 75 teachers were exposed to pressures to change the content of fourth grade mathematics instruction in a…

The RMC Corporation, under contract to the U.S. Office of Education, developed a reporting and evaluation system to be used at the state and local level for evaluating Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I programs. The three evaluation models and RMC's recommendations regarding their implementation specified stringent requirements…

A review is presented of the results of testing college students' health knowledge from the years 1930 to 1977. Topics covered by the tests are outlined and analyzed. Results indicate that over a period of years college students have become more knowledgeable about facts pertaining to physical and mental health. (JD)

Test evaluation summaries completed by the Center for the Study of Evaluation in 1970 and 1976 were used to determine changes in test quantity and quality among elementary-level standardized instruments. In the earlier studies, the instruments were rated in four general areas: measurement validity, examinee appropriateness, administrative…

This guide explains the concept of out-of-level testing and suggests a formula for estimating the occurrence of floor effects and ceiling effects, within the context of models for evaluating Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title I programs. An analogy explains floor and ceiling effects as if test items are stored in different levels in a…

THIS SUMMARY OF SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS IS FROM A MAJOR REPORT TITLED "A STUDY OF THE FULL-YEAR 1966 HEAD START PROGRAMS." THE STUDY WAS DONE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE PERFORMANCE OF CHILDREN ON FIVE TESTS AND RATING SCALES IS RELATED TO THE LENGTH OF THE 1966 FULL-YEAR PROGRAM WHICH THEY ATTENDED. FULL-YEAR PROGRAMS WERE CLASSED AS SHORT…

Appellants, citizens, and taxpayers of Ohio brought this action challenging the constitutionality of certain provisions of the Ohio Revised Code authorizing various forms of aid to nonpublic schools, most of which are sectarian. The Ohio scheme authorizes funding for use of nonpublic school children within the district where the nonpublic school…

Subjects for this study were female participants in a mathematics anxiety treatment program at a midwestern university. A series of test instruments were administered. Statistical analysis indicates that for this female sample, the domain of mathematics anxiety is best described as primarily test anxiety and only secondarily as anxiety associated…

Clearly defined goals are described as the first component of a program evaluation. The goals of this booklet are: to demonstrate the need for clearly written statements of goals, outcomes, and objectives; to provide examples; to provide a method of deriving goals from already published materials; to demonstrate the relationship between writing…

The Rasch model was used to compare the grade equivalent scores which students of equal ability would have obtained, had they taken different levels of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS). Raw scores on items common to levels 9-14 of the ITBS (vocabulary subtest) were obtained from 6,000 students in Dallas, Texas. Rasch scales were used to…