It is suggested that funders revise the manner in which accountability is determined regarding both program superiority and the way in which special school programs are evaluated. In any alternative mode of showing accountability, preoccupation with dollars and amount learned should not take precedence over humaneness in the classroom. (Author)

Critically discusses existing objective tests of students' language abilities. (RD)

This overview of the problem of linking testing and instruction describes two general policy areas which have focused attention on these links: studies of school effectiveness and minimum competency testing. Techniques used to investigate links between tests and instruction and policy issues that must be addressed are also discussed. (Author/CM)

Many factors can influence teachers' attitudes toward tests and some of those factors have nothing to do with the test's contents or subject matter. When the purposes and uses of tests results are not explained, teacher attitudes will be affected negatively. Testing on subject matter should be used in teacher certification and evaluation.…

Argues that giving students a reading test that is above or below their levels of achievement will yield inaccurate information. (FL)

Studied effects of anxiety and sex on neuropsychological test performance. Right-handed subjects responded to the Finger Tapping (FT), Form Board (FB), and State-Trait Anxiety tests. Females performed significantly slower on the FT than males, and for females, trait anxiety was negatively correlated with FT performance and positively correlated…

Clinicians and nonclinicians made causal attributions to actor behaviors. Analysis showed clear observer attribution bias for both groups. A greater bias occurred with deviant actor behavior and in situations that featured actor actions over opinions over emotions. Results are discussed in terms of applicability to clinical practice. (Author/JAC)

Six articles discuss testing and measurement in Soviet schools. Subjects include problems and reliability of psychological testing, methods for improvement, testing of teaching results, and teaching and evaluation of pupils' knowledge. (KC)

Testing procedures developed on younger groups are often inadequate when testing the elderly. Special tests and administration techniques that increase the likelihood that elderly examinees will do their best are described. Psychological examiners must receive special training in testing to do a credible job with the elderly. (Author/BEF)

The author examines four testing alternatives for minority group children who consistently do poorly on standardized tests: off-grade-level testing; not testing minority children at all; changing to an easier test; and criterion-referenced testing. He favors the last alternative. (SJL)

The Revised Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children appears significantly to widen the gap between Black and White performance, increasing the likelihood of unjustified negative social and educational consequences. (Author/EB)