This guide provides advice on effective use of assessments in adult basic and literacy education programs. Chapter 1 considers different types of standardized tests, their purposes, their advantages and limitations, misuses of standardized tests, and other types of assessments. Chapter 2 on informal assessments defines alternative and informal…

This paper discusses whether or not revisions of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the American College Test (ACT) have created such significant differences between the two tests that a student could conceivably score significantly higher on one than the other. The SAT has been revised to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse student…

Although a large number of adults in the United States are assumed to need literacy training, little agreement exists on that number. Adults who attend literacy instruction are assumed to acquire the skills, but little is known about program effectiveness. Another assumption is that adults should define their goals, but this does not ensure that…

In 1992, the Leon County School District in Tallahassee (Florida) began a review process to select a new norm-referenced test. The selection process was efficient and functional, and may be of interest to other school districts. Consideration was given to a variety of sources through the following process steps: (1) establish the norm-referenced…

This manual was developed to provide as complete a list as possible of vocational evaluation measures currently used by college professionals that can be appropriately used with hearing-, sight-, or motor-impaired college students, as well as with normal students. Specific modifications and/or adaptations are described. The major criterion used in…

This paper was developed to help Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA) administrators make informed decisions when selecting employability assessment tools. The paper focuses on one aspect of participant assessment: assessing the level of basic education skills of economically disadvantaged youth. The paper provides the following: (1) comparative…

This compendium is designed to assist vocational educators in selecting appropriate testing instruments to measure the learning outcomes of their programs. It presents by occupational area basic information on more than 150 validated measures and lists more than 1,200 additional entries in the Vocational Education Curriculum Materials (VECM)…

This handbook, in two parts, constitutes a manual prepared by the American Federation of Teachers, for improving teachers' use of standardized tests. Part I outlines basic concepts and issues surrounding standardized testing for teachers, parents and school administrators. The terms norm-referenced tests, criterion referenced tests, minimum…

Several issues should be considered in selecting assessment instruments and procedures for use in adult literacy programs. Teachers must consider the purpose of the assessment; the appropriateness of the assessment instrument for adults; the reliability, validity, and practicality of the instrument; whether the assessment is culturally sensitive;…

This learning module, which is part of a staff development program for health occupations clinical instructors, is intended to teach clinical instructors how to select evaluation instruments that are appropriate for the clinical settings in which they are teaching. It includes learning activities dealing with written examination and observational…

Because of concerns about the validity of tests used in education and employment, a consultation on June 16, 1989, focused on tests of ability, achievement, and other skills. Invited experts were asked to address a set of issues common to both education and employment testing, primarily related to test construction procedures and how to establish…

The Test Resource Guide (TRG) is designed to provide professionals in the New York City (New York) Public Schools with a compendium of assessment devices for use in decision making; specifically, determining eligibility for special education services, planning an instructional program, and charting progress. The introduction to TRG describes: (1)…

The materials presented were developed for use in a series of conferences on testing and instruction sponsored by the National Institute of Education, with the United States Office of Education, the UCLA Center for the Study of Evaluation, and a network of research and development agencies. They are intended for use by school practitioners and…

This study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of assessment tools used to counsel students who enroll in vocational education programs in Colorado. Surveys were developed and sent to the following groups: 60 high school counselors, 20 state supervisors of vocational guidance in the United States, 7 area vocational school counselors, and…

Designed to assist community college practitioners in understanding and utilizing standardized test results for making instructional, guidance, and administrative decisions, this three-part guidebook examines the uses of test results, the evaluation of standardized tests, and procedures for interpreting test scores. Section I discusses the…