This report examines issues in the scale-up of assessment software from the Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST). "Scale-up" is used in a metaphorical sense, meaning adding new assessment tools to CRESST's assessment software. During the past several years, CRESST has been developing and evaluating a…

This paper explores issues related to alternative assessment approaches in language arts and social studies classrooms. A rationale for a more comprehensive assessment approach within a democratic framework is developed, and ideas for constructing rubrics in language arts and social studies classrooms are presented. Pedagogical implications for…

This paper traces the origins of the portfolio movement, examines the treatment of portfolios in texts and other writings on classroom assessment, and poses several questions about the use of portfolios in classrooms. Interest in portfolios as assessment devices first emerged in the literature in the field of composition and writing, but interest…

To help educators with accountability concerns, this guide provides a method for establishing and evaluating accountability systems in states, districts, and schools. Standards-based accountability refers to collecting and reporting information based on students' progress toward achieving established standards. To be useful, an accountability…

Ways in which state governments can effectively deal with seriously underachieving schools are presented in this report. Governors and other state leaders are beginning to understand how important it is for students to be better prepared and that, as policymakers, they are obligated to demand accountability from students, from schools, and from…

The Bay Area Comer Development Program's "Readiness Five Phase Plan" was developed to bring the school sites involved in the Bay Area School Development Program (SDP) closer to the mission and goals of the program. To achieve this, a readiness assessment and checklists are used to determine if a site is ready to engage in the program. An…

Missouri is in the middle of the process of developing a performance-based assessment system, the Missouri Assessment Program, which is being developed to measure student progress toward the "Show-Me Standards" adopted by the State Board of Education in 1996. To achieve these standards, students must have a strong foundation of knowledge…

A new assessment conception is described that integrates constructed-response testing, artificial intelligence, and model-based measurement. The conception incorporates complex constructed-response items for their potential to increase the validity, instructional utility, and credibility of standardized tests. Artificial intelligence methods are…

One of the mandates of the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990 is that students develop a writing portfolio. Ultimately, schools must elevate the average performance level of students' portfolios to the benchmark of "proficient." During site visits to 29 schools, 34 indicators were identified that differentiated writing scores and…

This report focuses on the business operations of 24 charter schools in Massachusetts. The legislation authorizing the establishment of public charter-school in Massachusetts stipulated that a study of these schools' operations, practices, and activities must be conducted. The information gathered in the review came from the Massachusetts…

This issue summarizes the development and impact of charter schools. It examines aspects of laws that have paved the way for charter schools and describes some of the litigation that has accompanied the charter-school phenomenon. The text offers practical advice on how to draft good charter-school contracts and notes some of the past and ongoing…

This document contains a self-assessment tool allowing colleges to measure themselves against the criteria for an ideal learning college and identify where to focus their efforts for improvement. The tool consists of nine sections, each outlining a different area crucial to the functioning of learning colleges. Section 1 focuses on the learning…

This handbook provides current regional accreditation eligibility requirements and accreditation standards for community, junior, and specialized two-year colleges. It is intended for the use of institutions under review, members of evaluation teams, and others that are concerned with good practice in associate degree-granting institutions.…

This paper examines Alabama's State Education Report Card for the year 2000. It identifies predictors for student academic achievement at both the district and school levels for 128 public school systems and 1,272 public schools. Separate analyses were conducted for 61 city and 67 county school systems. The variables included number of students,…

This report summarizes the eighth survey of state directors of special education by the National Center on Educational Outcomes at the University of Minnesota. Results include all 50 states and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, American Samoa, and Palau. State directors report increased participation rates of students with disabilities in state…