In an attempt to raise district scores, the Washington, D.C., public schools are now beginning a program to train students to take standardized tests. (IRT)

This paper considers several philosophies as they relate to student assessment. Realists believe that one can know the real world as it truly is. As a philosophy of testing and measurement, realism is characterized by behaviorally stated objectives, measurement-driven instruction, and report cards, along with the use of programmed materials.…

This digest discusses sources of error in testing, several approaches to estimating reliability, and several ways to increase test reliability. Reliability has been defined in different ways by different authors, but the best way to look at reliability may be the extent to which measurements resulting from a test are characteristics of those being…

Tests and assessments are generally administered to gather data to aid in decision making, with at an individual student level or at an aggregated level. In order to incorporate assessment data in informed decision making, test users need to understand the test results. This chapter highlights the types of test scores and test score…

Sound testing practices and the high-quality information that can result are helpful to those who have oversight, responsibility, or interest in American education. To the extent that tests provide high-quality information, they form the basis for making accurate judgments about individual students. It is equally true, however, that factors which…

Educational accountability demands that students take tests. Parents and guardians, being committed to their children's academic success, often ask teachers and other educators questions about tests and testing procedures. This chapter provides practical, straightforward responses to many of the questions parents and guardians ask about testing.…

Using test results to improve instruction is vital to improving the education system, but equally important is to report results to other stakeholders. These stakeholders include the students who took the test, their parents or guardians, other parents in the school or district, the local school board, and the public at large. Effective reporting…

Computers are revolutionizing almost every aspect of society and testing is no exception. Delivering tests on a computer often improves exam security, testing efficiency, and scoring, and it often allows for measurement of knowledge, skills, and abilities that cannot be measured using traditional assessment formats. One of the most widely cited…

Nevada statutes and administrative regulations specifically prohibit the disclosure of the content of examinations used in the Nevada Proficiency Examination Program. This document focuses on procedures to insure examination security. The state's test security requirements are outlined. Other sections deal with access to and copying of examination…

The purpose of the present study is to determine if certain educational procedures have an effect on students' self-concept. (Author)

This study was designed to compare the performance on selected intelligence tests of a group of Canadian Indian children who had never been to school with the performance of a similar group of children who were attending school regularly. (Author/RK)

The purpose of the present experiment was to test whether a combination of audio and transparency projection, transparency projection, or the standard paper and pencil method of testing is superior when testing college students on a multiple-choice achievement test in basic psychology. (Author)