Presented are the combined test results of chemistry students from seven Central Indiana schools on the ACS-NSTA achievement exam, Form 1975, Part 1. Additional variables investigated include sex, grade level, Longeot classification, and an item analysis of the test items. (BT)

Shares suggestions for the school improvement process derived from the experiences of the North Central Association Commission on Schools' efforts to assist member schools with their improvement efforts. Includes topics such as assessment instruments, leadership roles, cooperation among faculty, committees, and peer assistance. (AJL)

Compared standardized criterion-referenced achievement testing of undergraduate generalist social work knowledge (based on correct answers to specific questions) to several norm-referenced measures of student learning, including self-reports and instructor-imposed grades. Discusses weaknesses of each approach and implications for the assessment of…

Testing policies and practices should be restructured to help people develop their talents and to help learning institutions become more accountable and just. Based on a qualitative survey of testing researchers and practitioners, this article discusses current trends and promising innovations, including performance assessment, holistic scoring…

Psychometrically linking a state criterion-referenced test (CRT) and a norm-referenced test (NRT) to yield NRT information through the CRT was studied with samples of 1,500 to 3,000 elementary school students per subject and grade level in Connecticut. A CRT/NRT link can create a focused and coherent assessment system. (SLD)

Focuses on fairness in assessing oral language prerequisites for literacy and providing equity of access to appropriate interventions. Discusses assets and limitations of norm- and criterion-referenced testing, behavioral ratings, portfolio assessments, and self-evaluation. Emphasizes multidimensional, multi-perspective assessments, and selected…

To address a public relations problem faced by a large urban public school district in Texas, we conducted action research that resulted in an audited self-monitoring system for high-stakes testing environments. The system monitors violations of testing protocols while identifying and disseminating best practices to improve the education of…

With the growth of globalization, organizations are facing an increased challenge to manage talent, improve employee engagement, develop effective teams, create succession pipelines, and increase organizational effectiveness in multinational settings. Given the need to evaluate and compare individuals from more than one country using standardized…

The Arabic Picture Vocabulary Test (APVT) was derived from the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test in order to provide an estimate of a student's acquired verbal ability in Arabic (Modern Standard Arabic) through his or her aural vocabulary. It is an individually administered norm-referenced power test for students aged 5 to 9 plus years. Each item…

Most educational measurement texts distinguish between norm-referenced (NR), or relative, methods of assigning letter grades to objective test scores, and criterion-referenced (CR), or absolute, methods. Both NR and CR approaches have serious limitations in typical classroom situations, and neither approach, in its pure form, may be entirely…

The general purpose of this study was to compare the differences in middle school students' mathematics achievement, their changes in attitude towards mathematics, and their attitude towards evaluation when evaluated with two different measurement strategies. The primary purpose of the study was to compare aspects of criterion-referenced and…

College teachers often use norm-referenced classroom tests which are too easy for distinguishing adequately among levels of student achievement, yet they are reluctant to adopt more difficult tests. We explored the basis for current practices concerning test difficulty through informal interviews and questionnaires completed by faculty members and…

A panel of expert referees from the Philadelphia school district categorized items from secondary-level standardized mathematics tests according to National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) subobjectives for mathematics. The following tests were covered by the study: (1) California Achievement Tests (Levels 19 and 20); (2) Comprehensive…

Norm-referenced and criterion-referenced test results are frequently manipulated by public school administrators to show artificial achievement gains, rather than actual achievement gains. This paper suggests remedies for the various testing practices that contribute to artificial achievement gains, including improvements in the areas of: test…

In considering the problem of measuring achievement for the evaluation of school effectiveness, there are at least three questions that need to be answered: (1) What is to be measured? (2) How is it to be measured? (3) How are the results to be analyzed? Following a discussion related to the first two questions--determining content objectives and…