This research summary identifies major factors affecting the validity of language assessments in bilingual students. The four factors include: (1) determining which language is dominant and in which language the child should be tested; (2) recognizing that bilingual children may use language in a way that is qualitatively different from that of…

This article presents a quantitative synthesis of examiner familiarity effects on Caucasian and minority students' test performance. Fourteen controlled studies were coded in terms of methodological quality (high vs. low) and race-ethnicity (Caucasian vs. Black and Hispanic). An analogue to analysis of variance conducted on weighted unbiased…

Current screening and diagnostic practices for identifying young handicapped children in Minnesota were surveyed. Information was gathered on the populations served, the professionals and tools employed in screening and diagnosis, decision criteria, and the perception of gaps and duplications in services. The results indicated a heavy reliance on…

The inappropriateness of using standardized achievement tests to measure the cognitive skills of Navajo children was demonstrated in a 1975-76 case study of 17 Navajo preschool and daycare children in Los Angeles. The Circus Receptive Vocabulary Test and the Circus Quantitative Concept Test were given individually to each child. Scores were…

In order to dismantle racism through development of new curricula and positive pedagogic practices, education professionals must be informed about the history, structure, and culture of racism. An examination of the nature of schooling demonstrates that the education system is a crucial component of a racist state, by propounding a racist…

One approach to test bias has focused on identifying the potential variables or factors that may be responsible for bias in a particular test for a particular subgroup. This approach was employed in this study to determine variables which may relate to differential test performance by Anglo and Hispanic students. The test materials used in this…

Meta-analytic research techniques were used to compare the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB) validities of blacks and non-minorities. The sample consisted of 7,854 black and 15,769 non-minority subjects from 113 Specific Aptitude Test Battery (SATB) validation studies analyzed since 1972. The first approach was to compare average validities…

Whether judges on bias review committees can identify test items that function differently for black and white examinees was studied. Judges (n=42) on three bias review committees were asked to examine a set of items and predict differential item functioning (DIF) without empirical data. Test items from teacher certification tests in the content…

The survey of all 50 state departments of education (and the District of Columbia examined nondiscriminatory evaluation policy. The examination of state policy documents included both an analysis of regulatory language and implementation procedures. State adherence to Public Law 94-142 Protection in Evaluation Procedures (PEP) and the development…

The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) is purported to be less culturally biased than other, traditional measures of intellectual ability. The present study was designed to investigate three specific research questions: (1) Are there overall performance differences between Native American and non-Native American children on the WISC-R…

The author describes a psychological assessment process for use with the disadvantaged preschooler which involves screening (identification), diagnostic evaluation, instruction related assessment (formative evaluation), evaluation of the results of instruction (summative evaluation), and prediction of readiness. Some generalizations which apply to…

The Florida Teacher Certification Examination was developed as a comprehensive written examination for use in initial teacher certification in the state. Applicants must demonstrate mastery of 23 generic minimum competencies in teaching adopted in Florida statutes and State Board of Education rules. Subtests in General Education cover writing,…

To support the construct validity of a locally developed, sixth grade reading achievement test, an investigation of factorial invariance was made across 1556 majority, 327 Black minority, and 136 Asian minority examinees. Although the hypothesis of a unidimensional factor pattern was retained for each group, hypotheses of equal factor weights…

A national random sample of over 14,000 high school seniors was studied with respect to socio-cultural differences in responses to cognitive test items. Six different cognitive tests and ten different groups were analyzed. The tests were: vocabulary, picture-number, reading, letter-groups, mathematics, and mosaic comparisons. The groups were:…

In a speech on the current criticism leveled against testing programs, the speaker states that attacks on testing are partially motivated by the public's reluctance to acknowledge unpleasant truths about society's weaknesses and problems. Some of these weaknesses are described as the inadequacy of public education; the incompetence of a portion of…