Recent methods have sought to improve precision in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) by utilizing data from large observational datasets for covariate adjustment. For example, consider an RCT aimed at evaluating a new algebra curriculum, in which a few dozen schools are randomly assigned to treatment (new curriculum) or control (standard…

Over 30 states have adopted the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R) as a component of their program quality assessment systems, but the use of ECERS-R on such a large scale has raised important questions about implementation. One of the most pressing question centers upon decisions users must make between two scoring…

This case study uses structural equation modeling to examine the predictive validity of the Read Aloud Profile-Together, a measure of the distinct behaviors of parents and children during shared book reading, in relation to preschool children's early reading competency. Using secondary data analysis, this case study includes 800 parent-child pairs…

This paper draws attention to a subtle, but concerning, empirical challenge common in panel data models that seek to estimate the relationship between student transfers and district academic performance. Specifically, if such models have a dynamic element, and if the estimator controls for unobserved traits by including district-level effects,…

The use and validity of the Graduate Record Examination General Test (GRE) to predict the success of graduate school applicants is heavily debated, especially for its possible impact on the selection of underrepresented minorities into science, technology, engineering, and math fields. To better identify candidates who would succeed in our program…

We compared the predictive validity of five aggregation methods for multiple informant data on child and adolescent behavior problems. In addition, we compared the predictive validity of these aggregation methods with single informant scores. Data were derived from the Minnesota Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (N = 175). Maternal and…

Changes in the demands posed by increasingly complex workplaces in the 21st century have raised the importance of nonroutine skills such as complex problem solving (CPS). However, little is known about the antecedents and outcomes of CPS, especially with regard to malleable external factors such as classroom climate. To investigate the relations…

School districts and states across the Regional Educational Laboratory Mid-Atlantic Region and the country as a whole have been modifying their teacher evaluation systems to identify more effective and less effective teachers and provide better feedback to improve instructional practice. The new systems typically include components related to…

This case study of the Department of Communication at the University of Maryland demonstrates the need to consider course sequencing in the communication curriculum. The investigation assessed whether the order in which undergraduates took courses predicted grade performance. Students' (N = 6,166) grade data from earlier courses were used to…

To compile its projections of future employment levels, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) combines the following five interlinked models in a six-step process: a labor force model, an econometric model of the U.S. economy, an industry activity model, an industry labor demand model, and an occupational labor demand model. The BLS was asked to…

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between psychological traits and voting behavior. Investigated is the thesis that psychological traits are useful concepts for political scientists as predictors of consistency in behavior. Contending that previous trait theory research has been generally unimpressive, the author…

The objective of this study was to devise a methodology for predicting the return or nonreturn of a student for the spring semester, upon his completion of the fall term. Nineteen variables from existing student files were examined by several multivariate analyses to determine their ability to help in such a prediction. The random sample was of…

Published reports and papers pertaining to the validity of measures commonly used at college entrance are reviewed and summarized in this report. These measures consist of various types of academic quantitative indices used to describe the high school record and various types of academic tests. The data are categorized by sex and ethnic…

The purpose of this study is the cross-validation of the predictive validity of the Minnesota Teacher Attitude Inventory (MTAI). Designed by the writer two decades ago, this instrument purposes to assess attitudes of teachers toward pupils as one important factor in teacher personality. The present study attempts to cross-validate predictive…

Base expectancy tables developed by the California Youth Authority apply to total population of male wards released on parole by the state. Subpopulations of relatively homogeneous make-up offered the possibility of developing base expectancy tables of greater predictive ability. Multiple regression analysis showed the overall advantages and…