This study examines how third and fourth grade children work with a representative sample of test items designed to measure reading comprehension. The developmental and ethnocultural problems that children experience (whether they are rooted in the passage, the tasks, or the entire item) are discussed. From a passage-based perspective, the items…

After the 1984-85 evaluation of the Special Needs Project in the North York, Ontario Schools, it was decided to extend the standardized achievement testing for the 1985-86 school year. Because of previous test validity problems, testing was continued under more uniform conditions; practice tests were available and the achievement tests were…