Compares the features, learning outcomes tested, reliability, viability, and cost effectiveness of essay tests with those of interpretive tests used in training programs. A case study illustrating how an essay test was converted to an interpretive test and pilot tested is included to illustrate the advantages of interpretive testing. (MBR)

Describes and compares formative evaluation approaches: expert review, developmental testing, three-stage model, learner verification and revision, and general approach to formative evaluation. Discussion of differences among approaches related to duration of try-out/revision cycle and recommendations for effective acquisition of data are…

The Juvenile Corrections Transition Model is designed to help community schools, and the Division of Juvenile Rehabilitation coordinates planning as students move from schools in juvenile correctional institutions back to community schools. Model strategies in various areas are explained. Field test results and the strategy outline are included.…

Describes Tennessee Technological University Library's participation in test of a network's local online services, i.e., database maintenance, authority control, reference support/patron access. Online catalog, training, patron access points, transactions and response time, database maintenance activities, bibliographic and authority record…

The 1993/03 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B:93/03), sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), U.S. Department of Education, followed a cohort of students who earned bachelor's degrees during the 1992?93 academic year. These students were first interviewed in 1993, as part of the 1993 National Postsecondary…

In large-scale assessments, some amount of background material is generally collected. Background questionnaires in the National Assessment of Educational Progress are the subject of this report. Most of the questions in NAEP background questionnaires have asked about course taking patterns and course content, but it is argued that the material…

This demonstration booklet illustrates the kinds of exercises or test questions and tasks used in the assessment of student achievement in reading and writing by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Each student will be asked to complete the background section and the cognitive sections for one subject, and the assessment will…

Describes a school-based interprofessional case management model for children at risk for school failure that has been field tested in elementary and secondary schools. The model has three components: the case manager, the school-based interprofessional management team, and the comprehensive service network. The model has been used as a framework…

This document provides an annotated bibliography of recent ERIC documents describing the benefits and pitfalls of collaborations between community colleges and high schools. Includes case studies illustrating exemplary programs, programs focusing on special populations, and lessons from the field. (Contains 11 references.) (PGS)

Describes a Washington school district's eight-step process leading to the adoption of a districtwide reading program. Includes data collection, research analysis, skill tracing, and field-testing. (PKP)

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument, the "Job Seeking Self-Efficacy Scale," to measure perceived self-efficacy in job-seeking activities. The construction of the instrument, which incorporated tasks that have been determined to be important in job seeking for individuals with disabilities, was based on Bandura's theory of…

This article addresses the sustainability of comprehensive school reform (CSR) models in the face of turbulent district and state contexts. It draws on qualitative data gathered in a longitudinal case study of six CSR models implemented in 13 schools in one urban district. Why do reforms sustain in some schools and not in others? How do changing…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA Amendments of 1997) charts a clear change of direction for special education teachers in two areas: (a) access to general education curriculum standards and (b) the consideration of assistive technology (AT) when planning the individualized education program (IEP) of all students with…

The Universal Design for Play (UDP) Tool is an instrument designed to evaluate the presence of universal design (UD) features in toys. This study evaluated its psychometric properties, including content validity, construct validity, and test-retest reliability. The UDP tool was designed to assist in selecting toys most appropriate for children…

These guidelines are provided to offer guidance to district and state policy makers and assessment directors concerning some issues of managing the development, administration, and use of performance assessments in large scale assessment programs. The term "performance assessment" is used for assessments that go beyond paper-and-pencil,…