The effect of rapid feedback for a state writing assessment on subsequent writing performance was investigated. In addition, the agreement between teachers' scores for the state writing assessment and state department scores was analyzed. Eighth grade English teachers (n=8) were trained in analytic trait scoring of writing assessments. They then…

Articles in this issue vary widely in method, content, and sample size, but come together to produce a valuable collection of knowledge about education in the Pacific Basin, with emphasis on issues of under-representation. The articles are: (1) "Effects of a Culturally Competent School-Based Intervention for At-Risk Hawaiian Students"…

This document describes the trends in statewide assessment programs. It is based on surveys conducted for the Council of Chief State School Officers. Assessment directors from the 50 states were asked to provide information about the current state of assessment programs and to describe how the programs have changed over the past 6 years, including…

In 1998, the Stanford Achievement Test Series, Ninth Edition, Form TA (Stanford 9) was administered to Virginia students in grades 4, 6, and 9 as the norm-referenced component of the Virginia State Assessment Program. As in the previous year, from 93 to 96% of Virginia's students took the Stanford 9, although the first administration was taken by…

Although a national consensus has emerged regarding the importance of extending publicly-funded health insurance coverage to low-income children under the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and Medicaid, substantial numbers of eligible children remain uninsured. This study examined whether extending insurance coverage to low-income…

This manual contains a description of the procedures to be used when administering the Nevada High School Proficiency Examination in mathematics, reading, and writing. Test administrators should read and understand these instructions thoroughly before testing sessions. The parts are: (1) "General Instructions"; (2) "Instructions for…

Historically, many state education agencies (SEAs) have formally or informally used risk pools to provide extra funds to local education agencies (LEAs) serving students with high cost special education needs. With the 2004 reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), SEAs have been encouraged to formalize their…

Discusses the effect of recent court decisions on the role of the state in school support. (JF)

Discusses the implication of recent court cases on federal and state funding of education. (JF)

Discusses valid systems of educational finance under court doctrine set forth in the California case, Serrano vs Priest. (JF)

The entire issue is devoted to speeches and reports from the 1970 AEL meeting. The largest consists of descriptions of programs in the member states--Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia. (RT)

An interview with Lawrence R. Sargent, a state special education consultant, focuses on state education agency problems related to evaluation, state evaluation and monitoring of programs for mentally retarded students, and Iowa's approach to developing instructional outcome criteria as a measure of program quality. (CL)