Problems in the interpretation of standardized tests used to group children of limited backgrounds, cultural bias in tests, and the misuse of tests are considered. Reports on the use of specific tests with disadvantaged students are reviewed and some of the efforts being made to provide better interpretive data are discussed. Alternative…

In Part I of this report, educational accountability is viewed as being composed of three types. They are: goal, program, and outcome accountability. In addition, three accountability schemes which are considered exemplary of the kinds of proposals presently made and which cover a broad range of accountability types are also discussed. The schemes…

Two hypotheses were tested in this study: that second grade students who receive instruction and practice in nonsubstantive test taking techniques will achieve higher standardized reading test scores than second grade students who do not receive this instruction and practice both immediately following treatment and four months after treatment. The…

The heart of performance- and competency-based teacher education, evaluation, and accountability programs is the establishment of empirical relationships between teacher behavior as an independent variable and student achievement as a dependent variable. Before researchers can adequately establish those relationships they need to deal with the…

Equations for the prediction of college grades from test scores and high school grades were compared for Mexican-Americans and other students at three universities of the California State University and Colleges system. With rare exceptions, regression equations for the prediction of grades for Mexican-Americans did not differ from those for other…

Testing with minority and disadvantaged populations in America has resulted in widespread abuse. Theorists have historically viewed tests as instruments for upward mobility in a system in which doors are often opened by parental wealth and status. Predictive validity of tests has not properly accounted for problems in correlational techniques…

Proceedings include presentations during sessions on: issues in interstate programs in graduate education; graduate manpower; increasing opportunities in graduate education for minorities and women; information retrieval; the Graduate Record Examination; creativity in graduate education; assessing graduate program quality; accreditation;…

The present study is a pilot investigation of six alternative urban middle schools for students of color that follow the Nativity model. This model emphasizes small class and school size, extended instruction, and strong relationships with family. The six schools included in the study are found in five different urban locations in the United…

Noting that improving the quality of learning in primary schools and preparing children for a long, complex life in the twenty-first century requires the highest quality of teaching and professional training, this book is part of a series to improve teachers' skills in the classroom. The book is intended to offer primary school teachers a means of…

State-mandated student testing in Ohio is a combination of three different initiatives: (1) competency-based education (CBE) assessment; (2) achievement and ability testing; and (3) proficiency testing. This report describes the current testing requirements and some of the characteristics of each of these types of assessment. CBE assessment was…

Annually in May and June, grade 3, 6, and 9 students in Alberta (Canada) take provincial achievement tests. This guide, in both English and French versions, explains the achievement tests. The tests are designed to indicate how well students meet the province's standards, to support teachers in planning instruction, and to inform the public about…

Annually in May and June, grade 3, 6, and 9 students in Alberta (Canada) take provincial achievement tests. This guide, in both English and French versions, explains the achievement tests. The tests are designed to indicate how well students meet the province's standards, to support teachers in planning instruction, and to inform the public about…

The Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) covered five different grade levels, with more than 40 countries collecting data in more than 30 different languages. More than a million students were tested. The present report contains the TIMSS results for students in the final year of secondary school. Mathematics and science…

This document contains sample test items from the Florida College-Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST), an achievement test that measures communication and computation skills that students should have acquired on completing their sophomore year in college. The sample items in this document test the set of skills that were revised in September 1990…

This book has been designed to fit a variety of curriculum arrangements: to use as the core text for teachers, to teach the assessment unit in courses in educational psychology, or to teach the assessment component of integrated methods courses. The following chapters are included: (1) "The Classroom as an Assessment Environment"; (2) "Learning…