This document consists of the two 2000 issues of the "Journal of Educational Relations," published twice yearly to promote student achievement through positive school-home-community relationships. The articles in the first issue include: "Behaviors of a Principal Directly Influence a School's Culture" (Douglas J. Fiore) and…

This book reviews the assessment movement, from the history of testing to the practical considerations of enhancing classroom experiences for teachers and students. It explores making time for assessment, tailoring assessment to desired outcomes, and scoring and evaluating student performance. The chapters are: (1) "Where We've Been: Standardized…

This study examined the relationship between students' socioeconomic characteristics and qualification for a merit scholarship in a new, state-run program. The Michigan merit award scholarship program provides scholarships of up to $2,500 for students who score at Level 1 or 2 of the Michigan Educational Assessment Program High School Tests.…

Competent readers use strategies automatically; moreover, the use of strategies is a natural part of their reading process. Interested in the effects of the direct teaching of strategies to poor readers, a researcher decided to use a classroom action research approach. She studied reading strategies used by competent readers before, during, and…

This report summarizes interviews with Washington state administrators, teachers, staff, students, parents, and community members at eight public high schools. Respondents identified several common themes regarding strategies to improve learning, the impact of state standardized tests, options and strategies for making learning more relevant, and…

This study was conducted to determine whether norm-referenced test data and Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) data from 1995 and 1999 showed similar gains in reading and mathematics achievement. TAAS data were collected from all students in Texas who were in the accountability subset of scores used for rating schools, approximately…

Data from four different school sites nationwide were analyzed to examine whether standardized test results may be confounded by the lack of language proficiency of English language learners. Several analyses comparing the performance of limited English proficient (LEP) students and their non-LEP classmates revealed major differences. A Disparity…

This report explores some of the critical issues that have emerged from the data collected from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat (TIMSS-R) to inform educational decisions in the state of Delaware. Research questions include Delaware's student performance on the TIMSS-R and the Delaware Student Testing Program (DSTP),…

This reference guide contains clear and concise explanations of concepts related to educational testing and standards. The book may be read straight through as a primer on educational assessment or may be used as a reference for particular topics. The sections are: (1) Accountability (Consumers, Taxpayers, and Citizens); (2) Authenticity in…

These eight annual district reports present statistical data on New York City public high schools. They include: the Brooklyn Superintendency; the Brooklyn and Staten Island High School (BASIS) Superintendency; the Bronx Superintendency; the Manhattan Superintendency; the Queens Superintendency; the Chancellor's District for High Schools; the…

This document compiles the one-page state "snapshot reports" for the 2002 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) writing assessment at grade 8. In 2002, 44 states and 6 jurisdictions at grade 8 participated in the writing assessment. Three states at grade 8 did not meet minimum school participation guidelines for reporting…

This paper discusses the hazards of using standardized assessment in English/language arts. Using standardized tests to measure student competency with language is problematic because of inattention to what counts as appropriate language usage. Standardized tests reify textbook language usage only and do not distinguish between correct and…

This research was undertaken to understand grade 3 students and teachers in Texas more fully and to explore the relationships between student characteristics, teaching practices, and materials in grade 3 classrooms and student performance in grade 3. Survey data was received from teachers for 7,216 students from 93 campuses and 72 districts around…

Assessment is more than simply ascribing an 'A' or a 'B' to a particular student achievement. In an era of state-mandated proficiencies and alternative assessment strategies, educators need practical ideas they can use to meaningfully assess their students' learning and their own practice. This issue of "ENC Focus" centers on the topic…

In 1998 for the first time, the NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) administered a writing assessment at the state level. This report describes the writing achievement of Arkansas eighth-grade students and compares their overall performance to students in the Southeast region of the United States and the nation (using data from the…