The focus of this quantitative comparative study was to analyze school achievement on third-grade reading assessments in 60 similar schools over a three-year period on Washington state standardized criterion-referenced assessments. This study provides statistical data showing the non-scripted programs were consistent for all three years while…

Educators and policymakers have been concerned about the problem of early literacy performance for many decades. Despite educational reform to increase standards, many children consistently fail to read at levels that enable them to compete globally. The purpose of this study was to provide a data driven program evaluation of a reading…

In 2007, Georgia developed a comprehensive framework to define what students need to know. One component of this framework emphasizes the use of both formative and summative assessments as part of an integral and specific component of the teachers. performance evaluation. Georgia administers the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) to every…

The gold standard in making causal inference on program effects is a randomized trial. Most randomization designs in education randomize classrooms or schools rather than individual students. Such "clustered randomization" designs have one principal drawback: They tend to have limited statistical power or precision. This study aims to…

U.S. universities and colleges offering distance education courses have increased immensely since 1998, and by 2004 it was expected that distance learners will constitute about 14% of all those enrolled in degree programs. In its preliminary review of distance learning, the Institute for Higher Education Policy (1998) emphasized the need for…

An experiment was performed to evaluate the tenability of the assumption in the Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title I proposed variance estimation procedures for criterion referenced tests. The assumption is that the ratio of the local to the national standard deviation for the national sample will be the same for the normed test as…

The results of a study which used the regression discontinuity model in the analysis of criterion-referenced test data are presented and inherent drawbacks in the use of the regression discontinuity model with this type of data are discussed. The discussion is based on the results of an analysis of data collected in the Mesa, Arizona School…

This investigation describes (a) use of an item analysis technique applied to pretest results of Tests of Basic Experiences (Moss, 1971) with children 3-5 years old enrolled in a day care center; and (b) development of a new statistical technique for evaluating change ratings between pre- and posttests. A technique of obtaining mean change ratings…

The volume focuses on topics discussed at a symposium on research methodology in special education, with emphasis on the special educator's perspective. Following an introductory section (three chapters), are three sections with 17 chapters which cover the following topics: design of educational prescriptions--behavioral objectives and criterion…

Procedures are described to conduct summative evaluations of Talents Unlimited programs. It is assumed that school counselors, administrators, or personnel minimally trained in measurement and statistics are capable of conducting the evaluation, except for doing the statistical analysis. The procedures are composed of: establishing measurable…

The increased use of criterion-referenced statewide testing programs is an outgrowth of the need for more diagnostic information for planning and decision making than is provided by norm-referenced programs. There remains, however, a need for state agencies to compare the results of local districts to a variety of comparison groups for the purpose…

The utility of the biomedical model of adjusted statistics is demonstrated. The model is recommended for use by educational researchers to randomize subjects for a more accurate estimate of school programs' success or failure when compared across classrooms or other units. (Author/MH)

Ten papers presented at the first annual meeting of the Georgia Educational Research Association describe the following topics in educational research: (1) development and evaluation of the Elementary Curriculum Development Program, which involves individualized instruction in grades K-8; (2) reliability of the eighth grade reading subscales on…

This chapter should not only acquaint the reader with the present state of the art on Criterion-Referenced (CR) measurement but also suggest possible directions for further inquiry. The goal of the first part of this chapter is to deal with the definitional dilemma of CR measurement by proceeding from the more traditional view of CR measurement to…

The orientation of this report is that of identifying educational projects which can be considered clearly exemplary. The largest section consists of a 22-step procedure for validating the effectiveness of educational projects using existing evaluation data. It is not intended as a guide for conducting evaluations but rather for interpreting data…