The paradox of site-based school management with use of standardized tests or instructional management systems that restrict teacher choices was evident in one school district in North Carolina in which measurement of student success has centered on student performance on state-mandated tests. A study was conducted to see if students whose…

Since 1941, this book has been a standard textbook in educational measurement. As in the previous editions, the selection and treatment of topics were guided by the knowledge and skills that are necessary for the development of valid evaluation measures and the knowledge and competencies needed to interpret teacher-made and standardized tests.…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students in the United States know and can do in various academic subjects. The 1996 NAEP in mathematics assessed the current level of mathematical achievement as a mechanism for informing education reform. In 1996, 44…

The Anchorage School District (Alaska) provides a comprehensive program of education to students from kindergarten through grade 12. This profile focuses on student achievement and other outcome indicators of student success, but it does not include information on the social or physical wellness of Anchorage students. The first section gives an…

The issue of a national assessment tool in the form of national testing has recently gained momentum. The expectation is that tough national tests would raise national standards and improve educational equity. The goals are ambitious ones and the stakes are particularly high for disadvantaged youth who currently experience the worst effects of…

This evaluation examines the progress made in the areas of achievement and enrollment by students at the Central Middle Magnet School in the Kansas City, Missouri, School District after the Computers Unlimited program had been in operation for 4 years. The evaluation design used data on student demographics gathered from the Research Office of the…

Each year at the Greater Lawrence Technical School (Massachusetts), students are identified who lack the necessary basic skills to successfully complete a typical high school program. This problem led to the development of an alternative instructional program designed to accomplish remediation in the basic skills using computer-based instruction.…

This yearbook, a retrospective and prospective exploration of educational change, focuses on the challenges of curriculum, instructional supervision, and leadership for education in the United States. The yearbook opens with a foreword by Stephanie Pace Marshall, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) President, 1992-93, and…

This study, part of a larger longitudinal research project, focused on the relationship between teachers' rankings of their students' literacy achievements, based on informal assessment, and the scores that the students received on a standardized test. Kindergarten students (initial sample of 136) were followed for 3 years. At the end of…

This interim report of the "National Assessment of Chapter 1 Independent Review Panel" presents preliminary findings from studies completed as part of a national assessment of the Chapter 1 program. The first of the report's seven sections discusses the intent of the program, while the second examines its educational and economic…

This review analyzes traditional standardized assessment practices to determine if they recognize cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic, and disability differences. It then examines the extent to which these assessment practices are being used in transition for decision-making and predicting post-school outcomes. The review begins with a historical…

Connecticut is developing a new grade 10 statewide testing program known as the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT). The CAPT reflects the changing nature of standardized assessment by using a variety of assessment formats including performance tasks, open-ended questions, and multiple-choice tests. This paper describes the research that…

This assessment guide represents a method for evaluating visual arts achievement by third graders. The artwork presented can be used to determine whether students have met learning objectives and are ready to advance, and also as a diagnostic tool for school improvement. The guide is based on selected sample learning objectives from "State…

This paper addresses the problem of the decline in the available pool of black students in colleges and universities who are choosing teaching as a career. At a time when black students are most in need of good role models and the greatest academic support, black teachers are becoming scarce in the public schools. Three possible reasons for this…

The role of statewide testing programs and the direction Pennsylvania should take in statewide educational assessment are discussed. The major purposes proposed for statewide testing programs are: (1) informing state policy; (2) curriculum reform; and (3) accountability. The ultimate purpose of statewide testing programs is to improve student…