The activities of Educational Testing Service (ETS) in evaluating educational programs are described. Program evaluations are categorized as needs assessment, formative evaluation, or summative evaluation. Three classic efforts which illustrate the range of ETS' participation are the Pennsylvania Goals Study (1965), the Coleman Report--Equality of…

Examined assessment practices in 54 model programs for early education of handicapped children (ages prenatal through six years). Results showed only 19 tests were used by at least five programs; only one device was used by over one-half. Although technical adequacy was reportedly an important factor in selection, analysis revealed only three…

A vital aspect of music education often left unattended in preservice education is testing and evaluation. Discussed are ways to measure musical achievement and aptitude and factors to consider when selecting a test for student evaluation. Recommended achievement and aptitude tests are described. (RM)

Seven considerations in designing the Title I Evaluation and Reporting System are reviewed: satisfying state, local, and federal needs; summative evaluation; differences in Title I subprograms; local use of different achievement tests; comparative analysis data; use of approved evaluation designs; and use of a common reporting metric. (MH)

Discussions at the National Consortium on Testing conference are summarized. Updates on recent and upcoming events are given by Jeff Schiller (National Institute of Education), Doug Whitney (American Council on Education), John Maxwell (National Council of Teachers of English), Dorianne Almann (National Science Teachers Association), Eric Gardner…

THE PURPOSES OF THIS PILOT PROJECT WERE (1) TO ATTEMPT TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF THE LOCAL PROGRAM ON BOTH INDIVIDUAL CHILDREN AND THE GROUP AND (2) TO INVESTIGATE THE SENSITIVITY OF THE TEST INSTRUMENTS EMPLOYED IN EVALUATING SUCH A PROGRAM. SIXTY-ONE CHILDREN WERE ENROLLED IN THE LOCAL HEADSTART PROGRAM AND WERE ADMINISTERED THE STANFORD-BINET,…

This report reviews the progress made by the New York State Education Department and local school districts in developing and implementing a comprehensive student evaluation program for elementary and secondary education. With the assistance of local school district personnel and technical consultants, the department concentrated its efforts on…

This bibliography lists selected articles, research reports, monographs, books, and reference works related to criterion-referenced measurement. It is limited primarily to material which deals directly with criterion-referenced tests and testing procedures, and includes reports on computer-assisted test construction and the adaptation of…

Describes efforts to design a method of assessing community college students' entry-level writing skills, which compared the predictive validity of three methods of evaluating writing skills: writing samples, objective tests, and self-assessments. Results of these scores were correlated with students' success in writing courses. (CAM)

This article considers the models and beliefs of language clinicians, as reflected by their choice of specific assessment instruments or measurement methods. Differences in construct and philosophy are demonstrated in a review of personality and vocational preference inventories and several subtests of sentence production. (DB)

Much information is available to help users locate and evaluate career assessment instruments. This digest can help improve their evaluations. For the purpose of both locating and evaluating career assessment instruments there are three primary sources. Best known among these are the Buros Institute's publication "Tests in Print" and its…

Performance assessment is reviewed as an emerging form of alternative assessment, focusing on how it has been defined in the research literature, the criteria for evaluating its authenticity, the measurement of process and product, and the link between assessment and instruction. Three important dimensions that must be considered in describing…

Certain types of evaluation tools used in continuing education offerings limit the evaluation process and hence the value of the offering. Asking a yes/no question as an exclusive evaluation method for learners' achievement of objectives is inappropriate for certain types of offerings. Provision should be made for assessment of continuing…

To assist in implementing the requirements of Public Law 99-457, the Education of the Handicapped Ammendments, 1986, practical information is provided about 15 appropriate assessment instruments for use with visually handicapped children, ages birth through 5. Descriptive analyses of selected assessment instruments include the title, author(s),…

To improve Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) participant assessment systems in Virginia, a project identified assessment systems and techniques/tools used by prime sponsors and developed an assessment model. It also identified key personnel of educational institutions in the prime sponsor area. A mail survey was followed by on-site…