Offers an argument against increased emphasis on testing, claiming that reading and writing can never be tested because the conception of reading and writing inherent in tests is faulty. Suggests alternatives that are congruent with a more adequate conception of reading and writing. (SR)

Examines reasons for using essay tests in the direct assessment of writing ability. Reviews the steps in developing a large-scale testing program; e.g., creating a pool of topics or prompts; developing scoring procedures; training raters; field-testing the system; scoring writing samples; assessing reliability; and assessing validity. (DMM)

Reviews studies focusing on practical assessment in science. Areas considered include what students are really doing in laboratories, how practical skills should be assessed, methods used to assess practical science (such as internal/external examinations and continuous assessment), methodological issues, and reasons for the failure of some…

The use of reporting final examinations in the Netherlands is described. Each October a public report is published by Cito, supplying information about the achieved level of education and describing observed psychometric qualities of the measurement instrument. General information needs are provided by the National Bureau of Statistics. (LMO)

Compares instructions for taking a ninth-grade achievement test to the reality of the conditions in which the test was actually taken. (NKA)

In many African countries tests used as a selection examination for entrance to secondary and higher levels of education do not have content validity. The practices and problems of test development in Africa are discussed. The advantages of domain-referenced tests are examined. (RM)

An ethnographic study indicates that not all children's understanding of tests matches that of their teachers and their schools. Some testing problems experienced by minority children appear to relate to their lack of understanding or acceptance of tests as devices for judging personal success or failure in the classroom. (Author/GC)

School psychologists and education students and faculty were asked to distinguish between computer-generated and individually written psychological test comments and indicate cues used in making identifications. Even though results indicate correct identification did not differ significantly from chance, school assessment reports must provide more…

Describes a pilot project whereby oral proficiency interviews were administered to students studying fourth- and fifth-year year German at Amherst Regional High School in Massachusetts. The interviews were based on techniques taught at the American Council on the teaching of Foreign Languages/Educational Testing Service Oral Proficiency Summer…

The computer assisted testing (CAT) program at Florida State University's Assessment Resource Center is described. Three measurement issues (test quality, confidence in mastery decisions, and maintenance of test validity) and two instructional design issues (quality of instructional objectives and extended feedback following testing) important for…

Performance tests should be required for certification of all public and private school teachers. Tests that are validated against actual job performance--which evaluate actual knowledge, skills, and professional ethics that produce educational and social benefits--should be used. (CJB)

FITNESSGRAM, a computerized program for scoring and reporting students' physical fitness status based on specific tests, has been a resounding success in the Tulsa, Oklahoma, public schools. The program provides feedback to students and permits evaluation of physical fitness efforts on a school-by-school basis. (PP)

Mandatory exit exams are in place, or will soon be, in 27 states. Students must pass them as one condition for receiving a standard diploma. Because the standard diploma is considered a property right, states must carefully consider the opportunities that students have to pass graduation exams. Federal legislation has resulted in increased…

With the addition of a writing component to many high-stakes tests (e.g., college admission tests and high school exit exams), a review of writing accommodations for students with disabilities becomes critical. This paper reviews the accommodation policies of 20 states with high school exit exams of writing and three testing organizations that…

This document comments on the future of educational testing in the United States and the plans of the Bush administration for increased use of testing for educational accountability. The "achievement gap" does not appear to be closing. One of the keys to closing the gap is having the data to understand it so that teachers can use test…