The design and outcome of a bilingual education program evaluation emphasizing the instructional and attitudinal variables of the bilingual education program presently in operation is described. The purpose of this program evaluation emphasizing needs assessment is to gather base-line data for continued evaluations in the following years. The…

A teacher education learning module that focuses on evaluation of instruction for the purpose of determining if set educational goals are reached is described. Emphasis is on improving teachers' skills in utilizing evaluation techniques, including statistical concepts and testing procedures, and in selecting instructional programs and procedures.…

The following papers were delivered: Introductory Remarks, John W. Evans; An Evaluator's Perspective, Michael J. Wargo; Problems of Achievement Tests in Program Evaluation, Donald Ross Green; Diverse Human Populations and Problems in Educational Program Evaluation via Achievement Testing, Edmund W. Gordon; Critical Issues in Achievement Testing of…

Twelve common errors which can invalidate an otherwise sound evaluation are identified, and ways to avoid them are presented. The hazards are: (1) grade-equivalent scores; (2) inappropriate statistical adjustments with nonequivalent control groups; (3) administering norm-referenced tests at inappropriate times of the school year; (4) inappropriate…

Part of a system by which local education agency (LEA) personnel may evaluate secondary and postsecondary vocational education programs, this sixth of eight components focuses on the evaluation of students' occupational competence based on the identification of job tasks. The component makes use of existing Vocational-Technical Education…

Three levels of screening procedures were used to identify the incidence and nature of learning disabilities. The first level involved the application by classroom teachers of the Classroom Screening Instrument (CSI), especially developed for the study, and of other measures; the second level involved psychoeducational differential diagnosis by…

This report presents an overview of research related to the development of the "Wisconsin Tests of Testimony and Reasoning Assessment," a battery of seven tests for assessing student development in the mastery of relevant concepts and skills of verbal argument for grades 10-12. Provided are (1) a discussion of the rationale for and…

The needs of Ohio schools were assessed in relation to the area of Family Life Education, including education in sexual behavior, the prevention of alcohol, drug, and smoking abuse, and related social problems. The study was carried out in two phases. The first phase developed the methods for assessing the needs of Ohio schools, which involved…

Specified procedures for evaluating materials during their in-context tryout are presented. These procedures deal with all possible causes of system failures that have been identified in the in-classroom tryout of new materials. Therefore, methods for identifying, controlling, and monitoring all factors that affect academic behavior in the…

Advocates using portfolio assessment in music education, more as a teaching tool than a final evaluative instrument. Explains those advantages and disadvantages of portfolio assessment that are peculiar to music education. Discusses materials for inclusion. (MJP)

Recently the Educational Testing Service (ETS) has modified its Student Instructional Report II (SIR II) for use in online distance education courses. The SIR II is a second-generation survey based on more than thirty years of experience with student evaluations (Centra, 1998; Centra and Gaubatz, n.d.). The e-SIR II is based on the highly…

On July 14, 2006, the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released a study that compared the performance in reading and math of 4th and 8th graders attending private and public schools. According to the NCES study, students attending private schools performed better than students attending public schools.…

In this article, the author echoes his co-author's and colleague's pleasure (Hill, this issue) at the thoughtfulness and far-ranging nature of the comments to their initial attempts at test validation for the mathematical knowledge for teaching (MKT) measures using the validity argument approach. Because of the large number of commentaries they…

Authentic assessment, as referred to in this book, encompasses meaningful tasks, positive interaction between teachers and students, methods that emphasize higher-order thinking skills, and strategies that allow students to plan, monitor, and evaluate their own learning. Most important, authentic assessment means helping students to apply and…

The Center for the Study of Evaluation Systems Project focuses on assessing the costs and impacts of managing testing, evaluation, and instructional (T/E/I) systems through a collection of nine papers: (1) "School District Evaluation Offices: Are They Worth the Money?," by Richard C. Williams and Pam McGranahan; (2) "How Two…