A study of item response theory in language testing research investigated the influence of sample size on (1) the statistical test of data-model fit and (2) the invariance of parameter estimates. Data were drawn from a 1993 administration of the examination of Dutch as a second language to about a thousand candidates, using results from only the…

This summary provides a record of the proceedings of a workshop series and Wingspread Conference that were part of a series of events relating to child and family policy issues sponsored by the National Forum on the Future of Children and Families. Chapter 1 introduces the issues related to young children and academic achievement. Chapter 2…

This publication, a result of the Basic Skills Assessment Program (BSAP), is designed for use as a resource or reference guide and not as a basic skills textbook. It focuses on that part of the mathematics curriculum which is reflected in the South Carolina State Basic Skills Objectives. Information is provided not only for the grades tested by…

A study was conducted to determine the validity of the Op-In procedure in measuring global comprehension and to identify patterns of integrative thinking similar to those of pilot study subjects. The Op-In procedure is a type of cloze procedure that deletes every other sentence ending from a passage. Three sixth grade level scientific passages…

Designed to help school administrators and board members promote instructional excellence, this publication reports survey results involving over 35 school districts in Northern California, Utah, and Nevada engaged in instructional improvement efforts. Specifically, the report describes alternative strategies used to organize and manage three…

This manual provides screening guidelines for rural preschool and kindergarten programs and describes the development of a model Early Screening Program (ESP) that involves nine child stations and two parent stations. Screening stations developed for assessment included: (1) gross motor; (2) visual motor; (3) visual perception; (4) auditory…

This guide, which was originally developed to help employers in selecting youth for Britain's Youth Training Scheme programs, can also serve as a guide to recruiting and selecting potential employees who have very little work experience. The following topics are covered: deciding which young people the business needs, attracting suitable…

Although informal reading inventories are widely used, they are not without their shortcomings, regardless of whether they have been published commercially or have been constructed by the teacher. There are at least two significant weaknesses in inventories developed by the teacher: (1) passages selected randomly from the graded basal readers that…

Work on item response theory was extended to two areas not extensively researched previously, including models for: (1) test items that require more than one ability for a correct response (MIRT); and (2) interaction between modules of instruction that have a hierarchical relationship (HST). In order to develop the MIRT and HST models, the author…

The goal of a project was to reconcile current testing services and practice as related to vocational assessment with the requirements for testing itemized by Federal regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A review of research related to the problem of testing and conducting a vocational assessment of handicapped…

A nationwide survey in 1984 asked teachers their opinions on a variety of reform suggestions for educational improvement. As a followup this survey sought to determine what the states were actually doing about these reforms. In the area of teacher-related reforms, information is provided on actions taken in each state on: (1) teacher compensation;…

The syllabus of an introductory course in linguistics intended as a foundation for studies in bilingual/bicultural education, Alaskan native languages, and anthropology is presented. The course was designed for a program for teachers of Yupik as a second language. The course objectives are to introduce students to the internal structure of…

This document provides an evaluation of the Comprehensive School Mathematics Program (CSMP) for kindergarten through grade 6. Following an introductory chapter is a chapter on the development and nature of CSMP. Chapter 3 discusses CSMP implementation. Total student achievement scores on the Mathematics Applied to Novel Situations (MANS) tests are…

This handbook is divided into two parts. Part 1 focuses on being a teaching assistant and ideas for teaching. Sections of this part cover: (1) university policies applicable to teaching assistants and behavior guidelines; (2) teaching tips; (3) lecturing techniques; (4) discussion and laboratory sections; (5) using questions; (6) demonstrations;…

The purpose of this report is to provide a detailed description of the instruments and data used in the Sustaining Effects Study, a large study of the nature, quantity, environment, generality, and sustained effects of compensatory education on basic skills. Each instrument is introduced, the items comprising it are described in detail, and, to…