The Executive Director of the Council for Exceptional Children evaluates recent comparisons of U.S. educational quality with that of other countries and stresses the need for special education to identify quality standards. Incorporation of this goal into the council's current restatement of its Mission Statement is noted. (DB)

Educational achievement testing is discussed from four perspectives: (1) political accountability; (2) parental need for information on children's academic achievement; (3) the undue influence of achievement tests on curricula and instruction; and (4) students' views of testing. It is concluded that standardized testing has an overall negative…

Presents a concept-map scheme that provides a consistent syntax and grading system for using concept maps as assessment tools. The grading scheme awards points for demonstrating hierarchies, relationships, branching, and cross links. Examples showing the use of the key are presented. (PR)

Educational assessment in France is characterized by three current themes: (1) national standards and testing of student achievement; (2) mechanisms for promoting institutional quality control; and (3) development of curriculum-integrated approaches to assessment. (SK)

An integrative and critical review is provided of the guidance available for conducting validity inquiry in the context of performance assessment. Reviewed studies focus on philosophical underpinnings and practical guidelines for conducting validity inquiry. Sections describe the emerging consensus on validity inquiry, components of validity…

This paper briefly describes the 30 standards published in 1981 by the Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation. The standards address utility, feasibility, propriety, and accuracy. Their application in conducting assessment and meta-assessment activities in higher education is discussed. (Author/DB)

The use of sampling weights in deriving population estimates for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and the effects of nonresponse and undercoverage on those estimates are described. The estimation of sampling variability from complex sample surveys is also reviewed, concentrating on the jackknife repeated replication…

A procedure-based observational scoring system and a notebook completed by students were evaluated as science assessments for 41 fifth grade students experienced in hands-on science and 55 fifth grade students inexperienced in hands-on science. Results suggest that notebooks may be a reasonable, although less reliable, surrogate for observed…

Current mathematics reform policy conflicts with the political and social dilemmas facing math teachers in urban schools: math course tracking, fiscal inequities, and failure of traditional assessment to meet the needs of underserved children. Policy decisions must be based on an expansive view of equality. (SK)

Discusses the changing child care situation in Germany, where the availability of day-nurseries, kindergartens, and day care does not meet demand. Considers parent expectations, forms of parent involvement in early childhood education, new child care directions desired by parents, and new laws affecting kindergartens. (AC)

Provides an overview of the availability and use of preschool and child care services serving children from three- to six-years old in Bahrain. Traces the history of preschool teacher training from early inservice training efforts. Compares two recently implemented comprehensive programs--one sponsored by the Ministry of Private Education and the…

A list of teacher duties is presented, focusing on the broad areas of subject matter knowledge; instructional skill; assessment skill; professionalism; and other duties to school or community. The usefulness of such a list is discussed. (SLD)

Explores the policy uses of assessment and focuses particularly on its persuasive role in encouraging higher levels of educational performance and on its accountability and regulatory functions. Policymakers continue to insist that assessments can be used for multiple purposes, in spite of past experience and expert evidence to the contrary. (SLD)

A state takeover of a troubled school system is a drastic intervention but one that can bring about broad-based reform. After the state of New Jersey began operating the Paterson School District, the new leadership prepared a detailed plan for reform and assessed schools' effectiveness. A sidebar points out that 20 states have provisions that…

Possible interpretive arguments for licensure and certification test scores are examined, and evidence to support each type of argument is analyzed. Particular attention is given to a competency-based argument that involves a sequence of inferences from test scores to statements about competence and then to conclusions about expected performance.…