Test-based accountability systems are now a central feature of U.S. education policy. Accountability systems are implemented as a way of improving student outcomes through new, highly visible incentives. This paper characterizes the incentives of different state accountability systems and reviews the existing evidence about outcomes. The question…

Since the approval of the No Child Left Behind Act, there have been new ways of evaluating student success. Evaluation is based on progress or improvement, not only on achievement. This report describes a study that examined student progress, or sustained improvement, in California over a 2-year period (1999-2000). In analyzing sustained…

Developed by classroom teachers during the development phase of Minnesota's Graduation Standards, this performance package is made up of locally designed assignments that, taken together, show whether a student has learned and can apply the knowledge and skills related to comprehending, interpreting, and evaluating information from a variety of…

Techniques for combining a communicative approach to second language teaching with assessment and use of Internet resources are presented. Emphasis is on beginning and intermediate language instruction. Two levels of student assessment projects designed for a unit on community and neighborhood are presented. The novice project involves exploration…

This report provides a longitudinal, comprehensive compendium of student performance data in the area of writing for the 2000-2001 school year. The report was generated using aggregate student data from North Carolina public schools, including charter schools, and provides information regarding student performance at the state level at each of the…

This paper reports on a study of the relationship between teacher evaluation scores in a school implementing knowledge- and skills-based pay and classroom student achievement. The study occurred in a California charter elementary school that was 100 percent Title I, 100 percent free/reduced lunch, and had predominantly limited English speaking…

This report examines performance differences between Asian, Black, Hispanic, and White students in Delaware on the mathematics portion of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat (TIMSS-R). Data analyses show that the mathematics performance gap across ethnic groups is significant. The lowest 100 Black and White performers were…

This book contains a collection of formal and informal reading assessments for use with students in Grades K-8. These assessments assist the teacher in targeting areas of strength and weakness, in monitoring student reading development, and in planning appropriate instruction. The book's assessments (some in both English and Spanish) range from…

This study identifies several trends related to the performance of Colorado charter schools. In the 1998-99 school year, their performance as a whole on the Colorado Student Assessment Program was stronger than state averages, stronger than sponsoring district averages, and stronger than the average performance of other public schools in the same…

This document consists of two papers on theory building from a conference on human resource development (HRD). Both "Theory Building Research in HRD--Pushing the Envelope!" (Richard A. Swanson, Susan A. Lynham, Wendy E. A. Ruona, Richard J. Torraco) and "The Role of Theory Building in Maturing the Human Resource Development…

Work process change is a popular approach to performance improvement in contemporary organizations. Variables that serve as leading indicators of employee performance when process changes take place include employee learning, self-efficacy beliefs, learning transfer climate, and goal commitment. Two critical concerns exist when implementing…

This guide contains 80 short items that provide information and insight to persons conducting a job search, as well as practical tips for keeping a job. The 80 items are organized into seven chapters that cover the following topics: (1) jobs and careers; (2) job skills; (3) job seekers; (4) paper power; (5) presentation package, "You"; (6) tool…

This document includes the left-hand column ("What All Students Should Know") and the center column ("What All Students Should Be Able To Do") from "Missouri's Framework for Curriculum Development in Communication Arts K-12." Next to these two columns has been added a column which includes assessment notes for those…

In 1997 the Oregon University System (OUS) identified four strategic goals for meeting state higher education needs: (1) strengthening the quality of instructional, research, and service programs; (2) expanding student access; (3) achieving appropriate cost effectiveness; and (4) enhancing graduates' employability. These goals guided the…

This book examines current assessment practices in higher education and offers suggestions on planning assessment programs, carrying them out, and using the results to improve academic programs. Examples from all types of institutions (community colleges, liberal arts colleges, and comprehensive, doctoral and research institutions) are used to…