Federal education legislation continues to emphasize the role of assessment in elementary and secondary schools. Perhaps most prominently, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA; P.L. 114-95), requires the use of test-based educational accountability systems in states and specifies the…

This article outlines shortcomings of currently used university admissions tests and discusses ways in which they could potentially be improved, summarizing two projects designed to enhance college and university admissions. The projects were inspired by the augmented theory of successful intelligence, according to which successful intelligence…

This Eurydice report contains more than 30 detailed structural indicators, up-to-date figures, definitions, country notes and a short analysis of recent key policy developments and reforms in five areas: early childhood education and care, achievement in basic skills, early leaving from education and training, higher education and graduate…

Reuven Feuerstein's Learning Potential Assessment Device and Instrumental Enrichment (LPAD/IE) system presents a valid approach to assessment, which moves from constructs, to pedagogical theory, to instruments, and to remedial strategies. This system uses standardized tests in a standard approach, but not for the purpose of the quantification of…

Where human beings are concerned and complex behavior is involved, prediction of future performance is no simple matter. Scientifically developed, systematically standardized and carefully validated tests have emerged as the most reliable tools in predictive efficacy. If opponents of standardized testing win, society will lose. (Author/CM)

The Kentucky Career Ladder Commission has funded a special project on "expected student achievement," to study the evaluation of teachers while avoiding the indefensible use of standardized student achievement tests. As proposed, the plan uses student achievement as one aspect of evaluation. The problem is in determining the degree to…

The Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) in Canada and the Dental Admission Test (DAT) in the United States are discussed. A history of the DAT, its composition, underlying concepts, and the problems of validation and guidelines for its uses are presented. A review of the literature is provided. (Author/MLW)

The American College Testing (ACT) Assessment Program is reviewed in this four-part report in terms of its use at North Harris County College (NHCC). Part I briefly reviews the contents of the four ACT tests: English Usage, Mathematics Usage, Social Studies Reading, and Natural Science Reading. It goes on to discuss the stability, limitations, and…

This report of the California State Postsecondary Education Commission discusses standardized testing at the higher education level in California and is comprised of three parts. Part 1 describes six tests related to undergraduate admission, placement, and financial assistance. Part 2 describes five tests required by graduate programs and…