A joint research project between an office of institutional research and the education department at North Carolina Central University (NCCU) is described. The study focuses on factors that might affect the scores of NCCU students on the National Teacher's Examination (NTE). The project enabled the education department to begin counseling NCCU…

In compliance with Section 1 of the South Carolina 1978 Act 631, the following Basic Skills Assessment Program (BSAP) information is reported: (1) the administration of tests for first grade readiness and grades 1, 2, 3, 6, and 8; (2) the development and field-testing of the 11th grade test; (3) the field-testing of mandated basic skills…

This report summarizes test results for the objective portion of the 1983 New Mexico High School Proficiency Examination (NMHSPE) in the Albuquerque Public School district. The NMHSPE assesses the mastery of skills and knowledge specified in the New Mexico Basic Skills Plan. A basic skill is the ability to apply one of five designated skills…

Points at which state policies can control entry of individuals into the teaching profession were studied. A 50-state survey identified points of policy intervention and types of policies in effect in each state during 1983-84. Four in-depth case studies provided details about the political environment and rationale behind each policy, the extent…

Efficient methods of using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data files are discussed. One error in the NAEP SPSS file is discussed, and another error (which may be system-dependent) is mentioned. In addition, purely mathematical methods are used to address the…

Tests recently acquired by the Educational Testing Service Test Collection are briefly annotated in this quarterly bulletin. The tests are grouped into these categories: (1) achievement, (2) aptitude, (3) personality, interests, attitudes and opinions, (4) sensory-motor and miscellaneous. Entries of particular interest to those working with…

Chapter 4 of a book on school law, this chapter focuses on 1979 cases involving students. The author notes that in 1979 most unresolved legal issues in this area involved handicapped children. He finds disagreement among the holdings in these cases about the limits of a district's responsibility to provide special services to the handicapped. It…

This report describes the results of Connecticut's second statewide assessment of mathematical knowledge, skills and attitudes. The Connecticut Assessment of Educational Progress annually tests a sample of Connecticut students in grades 4, 8, and 11 in one or more subject areas. Students at each grade level were randomly selected to participate in…

To improve Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) participant assessment systems in Virginia, a project identified assessment systems and techniques/tools used by prime sponsors and developed an assessment model. It also identified key personnel of educational institutions in the prime sponsor area. A mail survey was followed by on-site…

This manual contains statistical information on the examinations administered by the National Occupational Competency Testing Institute (NOCTI) to measure occupational competencies of experienced craftsmen in twenty-six trade specialties. (More detailed information on the program and on the scope of the examinations is provided in a separate…

AUDIOMETRIC AND VISUAL PROCEDURES WERE COMPARED ANALYTICALLY AND/OR DESIGNED TO ESTABLISH TEST METHODS FOR TRAINABLE MENTAL RETARDATES IN THE IQ RANGE OF 23-47 AND BELOW THE MENTAL AGE OF 4 YEARS. THE NUMBER OF SUBJECTS WAS 26 FOR THE AUDITORY PROGRAM AND 25 FOR THE VISUAL. EACH OF THE SUBJECTS WAS STUDIED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS. DATA WERE…

THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF THE MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION (MLA) FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY TESTS FOR TEACHERS AND ADVANCED STUDENTS ARE THE SUBJECTS OF THIS FINAL PROJECT REPORT. FOLLOWING AN ACCOUNT OF THE EVENTS THAT LED TO THE AWARDING OF A GOVERNMENT CONTRACT TO MLA TO DEVELOP NATIONALLY STANDARDIZED QUALIFICATION TESTS AND A…

THE QUESTION OF PRIMARY CONCERN IN FOUR STUDIES WAS IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK IN ADJUNCT AUTOINSTRUCTIONAL EXERCISES (LEARNING EXERCISES DEFINED AS THOSE DESIGNED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE STRUCTURE INHERENT IN SUBJECT MATTER). IN A CONTROLLED SITUATION, DIFFERENT FEEDBACK DELAYS (IMMEDIATE, 1-HOUR DELAY, 2-DAY DELAY, AND 1-WEEK DELAY) WERE TESTED. OTHER…

Community college students are dropping courses at increasing rates at substantial costs to their institutions and themselves. Subsequently, numerous studies have been conducted to investigate this trend, the factors that influence it, and ways of reversing it. A recent study revealed that the most frequently cited reason for course withdrawal was…

This resource guide was designed for teachers and administrators in Arizona school districts to assist them in preparing functional and meaningful programs of student achievement testing. The format of the guide is based on fundamental questions often posed by educators regarding norm-referenced and criterion-referenced testing. Particular…