Several major issues were raised against intelligence testing by the plaintiffs in Larry P. versus Wilson Riles. It was argued that since California used intelligence tests to ascertain who should be placed in programs for the educable mentally retarded (EMR), and since blacks performed less well on the tests than whites, it was the tests which…

This amicus curiae was filed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the case of the United States of America and South Carolina Education Association v. South Carolina, which involved the validity of South Carolina's use of the National Teacher Examinations (NTE). The NTE, a battery of achievement tests designed to measure the academic…

The final report adresses the problems involved in identifying gifted minority children. Reviewed is the historical perspective of cross cultural assessment in behavioral research. Typical gross errors and misinterpretations of data in cross cultural assessment are pointed out. Among fundamental considerations listed include the use of items…

This paper relates the legal requirements regarding employee selection and equal employment opportunity. The 1964 Civil Rights Act, Title VII; the interpretations of Title VII by the Equal Employment Commission; the case of Griggs v. Duke Power Co. (1971); and pertinent questions for employers, following the Griggs case, are examined. (Author)

The multiple-choice science exercises used by the National Assessment of Educational Progress include an "I Don't Know" (IDK) alternative to estimate more accurately knowledge of groups of respondents. Group percentages of IDK responses were examined and compared with correct responses to see if the IDK introduces bias. Variance common…

Black, Puerto Rican, Chicano, native American and low income white children represent the vast educational underclass who are most likely to be affected by test misuse or abuse. More than 50 million American children take at least three standardized tests a year, it is estimated. Of these an estimated ten percent are subjected to and are damaged…

Men and women are not now similar in all their likes and dislikes, but it is an unanswered question as to which of those dissimilarities are directly related to job satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Basically, the sex difference problem raises an issue which is emphasized throughout the paper: that the goal of interest measurement is to predict job…

The purpose of this monograph is to describe a number of studies that the author has carried out, which offer some evidence for the existence of a few environmental factors which appear to influence children's performance on both ability and attainment tests. The notion is developed of how children's motivation to learn, and hence their level of…

This report examines how selection fairness is influenced by the item characteristics of a selection instrument in terms of its distribution of item difficulties, level of item discrimination, and degree of item bias. Computer simulation was used in the administration of conventional ability tests to a hypothetical target population consisting of…

Examines the performance of ethnic minority students on Rubin's CCAI, with a view toward discovering potential cultural biases embedded in the instrument. Concludes that such biases appear to exist. (MS)

Argues that the Florida Teacher Certification Examination is culturally, linguistically, and philosophically biased against minorities. Suggested alternatives to testing are implementation of knowledge about effective schools, teacher workshops on effective techniques and attitudes for teaching nonachievers, and improved early education. (CMG)

A study investigated cultural bias in the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities, using 50 Anglo and 50 Mexican American University of Arizona education graduate students to rate all 46 verbal items. Results showed significant differences in the group ratings of 16 items on the opportunity-to-learn dimension. (MH)

Educational Testing Service (ETS) research highlights more similarities than variations in gender differences among student racial/groups, though variations exist in how the differences are manifested. This digest presents highlights from Richard Coley's findings in "Differences in the Gender Gap: Comparisons across Racial/Ethnic Groups in…

High stakes assessments cannot reliably provide an accurate assessment of English language learners' (ELLs)' abilities in content areas. Cultural differences and limitations concerning opportunity to learn can lead to unfair interpretations of low test scores and assessment discrimination. ELLs cannot demonstrate content mastery without having…

This sampler of student responses to mathematics and science items was assembled to show how student responses differ depending on whether students are tested in English or in their native languages. The sampler aims to promote awareness among teachers and assessment developers that low language proficiency in English is a factor that can penalize…