Although the number of countries conducting large-scale assessments has increased significantly over the past two decades, this has not necessarily led to the effective use of learning assessment data in policy-making and planning. To better understand the reasons for this, the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP)…

Large-scale learning assessments can be used to generate performance and contextual data on student learning outcomes. They can be national, regional, or international; school based or household based. The UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP-UNESCO) has conducted a qualitative study to explore both how and why learning…

How and how much should students be tested? What information should schools and districts be required to collect and monitor? And what should be done when that information suggests a school is not meeting the expectations? Those questions are at the heart of Congressional discussions regarding the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary…

In July 2010, the Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) voted to adopt Common Core's standards in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics in place of the state's own standards in these two subjects. The vote was based largely on recommendations by Commissioner of Education Mitchell Chester and then Secretary of…

Many articles and reports have reviewed, researched, and commented on international assessments from the perspective of exploring what is relevant for the United States' education systems. Researchers make claims about whether the top-performing systems have transferable practices or policies that could be applied to the United States. However,…

Educational assessment and, more broadly, educational research in the United States have entered into an era characterized by a dramatic increase in the prevalence and importance of test score use in accountability systems. This volume covers a selection of contemporary issues about testing science and practice that impact the nation's public…

The status of mathematics assessment in Canada is described by province within region. A table provides an overview of the testing programs. Differences and similarities among the programs are noted, but results are not included. (MNS)

Proposes a process approach to validity that addresses assessment validation in the context of high-stakes assessment. This approach includes a test evaluator or validator who considers the perspectives of five stakeholder groups at four different stages of assessment maturity in relation to six aspects of construct validity. Illustrates each…

Discusses the features of the National Catholic Educational Association's newest instruments for assessing students' faith, attitudes about religious and social questions, and religious practice. Describes the 1989 administration of the Assessment of Catholic Religious Education multi-level instruments. (DMM)

Since 1969 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports on the scholastic achievements of the nation's elementary and secondary level students have been appearing frequently. The reactions to these reports are a perplexing mix of acclaim and criticism, of expressed respect but apparently slight regard. This study assesses NAEP and…

Basic skills achievement test results of pupils in the Philadelphia School District, based upon the February 1979 Philadelphia City-Wide Testing Program involving kindergarten through grade 12, are reported. The city and district performance distributions show the combined percentages of pupils in scoring within various national percentile rank…

This study guide is designed to help teachers understand the role assessment plays in helping students learn and to help teachers improve their own assessment capacities. The guide contains assigned readings, discussion questions, activities, checks for understanding, and reflections for learners using the "Classroom Assessment: Linking…

Describes rationale and attributes of local assessment program to augment statewide testing programs. Describes several steps to develop and implement a local assessment program, including setting priorities and goals, meeting with state officials, developing budgets and funding sources, forming development teams, providing professional…

This report summarizes the in-school field operations and data collection activities, as well as the administration decision-making, undertaken in Year 11 of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, (NAEP) from March, 1979 through July, 1980. The more pertinent summary data on the planning and conduct of Year 11 in-school assessment are…

Florida's accountability program, the result of the Florida Accountability Acts of 1968 and 1976, contains four parts: statewide assessment program, functional literacy testing, compensatory education program, and norm-referred testing, which are discussed in this article. (BB)