Math in Common® (MiC) is a five-year initiative that supports a formal network of 10 California school districts as they implement the Common Core State Standards in mathematics (CCSS-M) across grades K-8. As the MiC initiative moves into its second year, one of the central activities that each of the districts is undergoing to support CCSS…

As the number of end of course (EOC) tests has increased along with an expansion of their role in accountability, development and implementation decisions are more important than ever. This process starts with articulating how the assessment fits into a credible theory of action that describes how all elements of the system will work together to…

Timely and credible data on student learning has become a global issue in the ongoing effort to improve educational outcomes. With the potential to serve as a powerful diagnostic tool to gauge the overall health and well-being of an educational system, educational assessments have received increasing attention among specialists and the media.…

As part of the Michigan Educational Assessment Program, 132 preprimary objectives were developed in the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains. Volunteer teachers assessed the attainment of these skills in their kindergarten children. A profile on each student was designed to report skill attainment to first grade teachers and parents. The…

The Prescriptive Mathematics Inventory (PMI)-Level B and a Pupil identification Form (PID) were administered to 22,055 sixth graders in Texas. Results from the PMI are reported in terms of the percentage of students marking the correct response for each of 209 objectives. Panels of mathematics teachers and of mathematics experts rated 40 of these…

State and school district testing activities involving basic reading competency requirements are discussed. The purposes of minimum competency testing in reading include the identification of students who need remedial assistance, and the evaluation of secondary school students regarding graduation requirements. Important considerations regarding…

Reviewed in this public relations publication is an overview of programs, goals, and procedures written for parents and lay groups as well as segments of the educational community. (RC)

This article presents the viewpoint that care must be taken to fit the specifics of a testing program to its intended purpose. Testing for diagnosing individual student learning and for school evaluation should not be confused. Statewide testing programs may provide evaluative information, but are inadequate sources of diagnostic information. (LMO)

This article discusses recent changes in formative and summative assessment in Scotland. The Examination system is being extended to cover all aspects of schooling for all pupils. There are extensive changes in the system, now called Scottish National Diploma, for those pursuing business, technical, or vocational courses. (LMO)

Matches between questions in the Kentucky Instructional Results Information System for 1995-96 (KIRIS96), the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills, Fourth Edition (CTBS4), and the California Achievement Tests, Fifth Edition (CAT5) and the Kentucky Academic Expectations as they are defined in the Kentucky curriculum framework were studied. Each…

Each year the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) tests all 4th, 7th, and 10th grade students in reading and mathematics and one or more subject areas. Because MEAP has lost funding for test development, experienced assessment staff and a volunteer team of local educators and college and university specialists develop, administer, and…

The purposes of the North Dakota Statewide Assessment of Student Performance in Mathematics are: (1) to meet the public's right to know about the current status of student knowledge throughout the state; (2) to provide information and recommendations for corrective action concerning areas of student performance needing improvement; and (3) to…

The high school minimal competency examination described in this document is part one of a three-part program that requires that all students satisfactorily complete tests in reading, language arts, and mathematics prior to receiving a high school diploma. The document outlines the test development and assessment program and describes the plan for…

In response to citizens' need and right to know about how North Dakota students perform in mathematics, the Department of Public Instruction and the North Dakota Council of Teachers of Mathematics administered a criterion-referenced mathematics assessment in grades 4 (1,298 students) and 8 (1,475 students). Also included were items from the…

This handbook contains suggestions for the use of results from the New Mexico High School Proficiencies Examination (NMHSPE) and describes procedures for developing programs and planning intervention strategies. The information and guidelines will facilitate administrative action for program improvement through integration of the NMHSPE results…