Examines the validity of estimates of instructional reading level produced by the Reading Comprehension Test of the 1986 Metropolitan Achievement Tests (MAT). Compares reading level estimates provided by the MAT, basal reader placement tests, an informal reading inventory, and classroom teachers' judgments. Suggests that each method, because of…

Kenya's secondary school curriculum includes a total of 68 different subjects; a core curriculum has yet to be implemented. The Certificate of Primary Education and the Kenya Certificate of Education are used to select those few students who may continue to secondary education, higher education, and employment. (GDC)

Testing practices in Lesotho are described. The Primary School Leaving Examinations are administered on a national level. The Junior Certificate Examinations, developed by subject committees, determine eligibility for the Cambridge Overseas School Certificate. Vocational and technical educational programs are also evaluated. Continuous student…

The nature and quality of teacher-developed tests was studied in a national sample of 228 teachers representing four grade levels and several subjects. Teachers described their patterns of test use, concerns about assessment, and use of performance testing. Teacher-developed performance assessment was heavily used. (Author/GDC)

Argues that educators should be proactive in building computer-based curricula that place technology in a facilitating role, have sound educational objectives that are measureable, and reflect awareness of how students learn from computer interaction. The educational theories of reinforcement, closure, short-term memory, and mastery learning are…

This digest focuses on academic testing and American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students. Ideally, test results should be used to improve student learning. Proponents of high-stakes testing say it is needed to measure student achievement and school quality and to hold students and teachers accountable. High-stakes testing is also used to…

Ensuring that language tests for adult English language learners are appropriate, valid, and reliable is a challenge. Performance-based assessments are complex to develop and implement. Yet, because the focus of assessment, both in the National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS) descriptors and in the Department of Education's definition…

The original data strategy on which PISA was based suggested that, after the completion of the first three assessments in 2000, 2003 and 2006, the cycle would repeat itself with three-yearly assessments in the areas of reading, mathematics and science. However, in light of newly emerging policy priorities and the experience gained with PISA so…

The politics of education is driven by a complex interrelationship among politicians, private foundations, teachers' unions, special-interest groups, school administrators, boards of education, courts, and the "knowledge industry." Chapter 1 focuses on the major actors in the politics of education, and chapter 2 analyzes the…

This report describes court challenges to high school exit exams for students with disabilities, explores the legal and public policy issues, and discusses implications for educators. Legal challenges include claims brought under the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment, and under disability statutes, including the…

This paper demonstrates that an electronic tutoring program can collect data that enables a far more reliable assessment of students' skills than a standard examination. Socratic electronic homework tutor, CyberTutor can integrate effectively instruction and assessment. CyberTutor assessment has about 62 times less variance due to random test…

Surveyed student attitudes on modes of testing and evaluation. Data from 476 college students revealed that multiple-choice test items and short answer essays were most preferred. Found grade point average related to study habits and preparation for and determinant of student preferences regarding tests. (Author/JAC)

Ninth-graders read a passage for a test to be taken the next day, anticipating a recall test, a multiple-choice test, and a retention test. Half received either a recall or a recognition test regardless of prior instructions. Subjects did better on the recognition tests in all conditions. (Author/RD)

College students were trained on a hierarchical mapping technique designed to facilitate prose processing. The students studied a geology passage and five days later were given four types of tests. The treatment group significantly outperformed a control group; the major differences were attributable to concept cloze and essay exams. (Author/RD)

A defense of the System of Multicultural Pluralistic Assessment (SOMPA) in response to previous articles in this issue of this journal is presented by the test developer. The defense is detailed and addresses each previous article. (JKS)