This chapter addresses assessment (testing) with an emphasis on the 100-year period since the American Education Research Association was formed. The authors start with definitions and explanations of contemporary tests. They then look backward into the 19th century to significant work by Horace Mann and Herbert Spencer, who engendered two…

(Purpose) This literature review discusses the prevalence of bias against minorities in all aspects of selection for gifted and talented services. (Findings) Topics addressed in this paper include: (1) progression of the definition of giftedness; (2) minority bias in gifted identification and referrals by school personnel; (3) discriminatory…

Tests the validity of scores on the Multidimensional Inventory of Black Identity (MIBI) using confirmatory factor analysis and correlations. Results show partial support for construct validity. An item analysis was performed to identify problematic items. Discusses implications for racial identity research. (Contains 54 references and 2 tables.)…

The author reviews the key problems associated with generally accepted practices for identifying the gifted from the perspective of minority gifted students, particularly the gifted bilingual child; and presents some alternative approaches for testing. Noted among the shortcomings of testing minority students are that standardized tests are not…

Samples 366 students in regular education and special-education settings for students with serious emotional disturbance (SED) rated by teachers using Devereux Behavior Rating Scale-School Form. Total Test standard scores earned by the SED samples were significantly higher than the regular education samples. The rating scale correctly identifies…

The authors review problems associated with currently practiced matrix methods of identifying gifted students, describe an aggregation method utilizing a statistical approach involving standard scores, and relate the method to specific program examples. (SB)

This review looks at the impact of word finding deficits, psycholinguistic considerations in naming (including relevant intrinsic and extrinsic variables), behaviors indicative of word finding difficulty, screening for word finding disorders in the classroom, direct assessment (both formal and informal), individual differences, and word retrieval…

Investigates the utility of the Early Screening Profiles to differentiate between preschoolers at risk for cognitive delays and non-risk preschoolers. The Total Screening score, by itself, was found to correctly classify approximately 81% of the preschoolers. In separate analysis, the Cognitive/Language and Motor profiles were required to maintain…

Focusing on appropriate methods and criteria for identifying giftedness in elementary visual arts students, the study consists primarily of an annotated bibliography divided into three sections: childhood visual art development (9 entries); selected identification procedures and instruments (25 entries); and identification techniques in the…

The project titled "Evaluating the non-English Speaking Handicapped" was established to research existing evaluation instruments in language other than English, validate the tests as well as additional translations where needed, and develop a procedural manual for distribution to utilize in evaluating non-English speaking handicapped students. The…

An Hispanic practitioner discusses the identification of both the non-English speaking and English speaking culturally different gifted child. Definitions are offered for nondiscriminatory assessment and giftedness. Four case studies illustrate the methods used to identify two English speaking and two nonEnglish speaking gifted Hispanic children.…

To evaluate the usefulness of standardized achievement tests in assessing pre-university academic achievement and aptitude, the Council of Ontario Universities administered tests to incoming freshmen at four Ontario universities, and also examined their high school and subsequent university performance. The tests were designed to measure…

Psychomotor, or physical education skills, can be tested through the use of various measures which employ one or more sport-specific objective measures, such as norm- or criterion-referenced tests, or subjective measures, such as teacher ratings or student self-rating. Norm-referenced tests embody standards which are set relatively for the purpose…

The rules and regulations governing Texas schools' treatment of the language and academic needs of limited-English-proficient (LEP) public school students are reviewed. First, a historical overview of the state's laws and regulations governing programs for the LEP population is presented. Second, the state's language and academic assessment…

The text examines issues related to Hispanic children in special education. Chapter 1 discusses four court cases brought against schools for inappropriate placement of Hispanic and other minority students in classes for the educable mentally retarded. Testing is the focus of Chapter 2, which includes analysis of linguistic and cultural bias,…