In at least one Oregon school system, student-led conferences have begun to replace traditional report cards. When conferences are well done, parents believe they have learned more about their child's learning and progress than they would through a traditional report card. There is an important additional benefit in that students can rise to the…

A study examined assessment of students in the Technical and Further Education (TAFE) systems in Australia with reference to moderation processes and the maintenance of standards. Data were obtained through a multiple case-study technique, using visits to six of the eight major TAFE systems; focus group interviews were held with selected…

This booklet, second in a series on issues in assessment, seeks to describe an initiative supported by Finger Lakes Community College (New York) to use classroom assessment techniques (CATs) in different academic areas and to present an overview of some assessment approaches that have been used in the classroom. Papers include: (1) "Enhancing…

This guide is intended to help school districts and individual schools design and implement outcomes-based accountability systems that include students with disabilities. Part 1 provides an overview of issues that must be considered in developing such a system. Part 2 suggests implementation options and strategies and likely implications of these…

A report of a National Science Foundation (NSF) Workshop highlights the thoughts of a group of experts on the basic underlying principles of technology use in education, goals for integrating technology into the educational system, and methods for further enhancing the quality of education through technology use. The workshop provided an open…

This study explored the meaningfulness of "student" scores derived from assessment of student portfolios. Nine elementary teachers documented the instructional support they provided for the writing assignments of each of six target students. Support ratings captured dimensions used to assess students' writing progress…

Issues involved in the construction of alternative forms of assessment by mathematics teachers were studied through the case study of assessment development in three elementary schools. Three schools with 14 third-grade teachers were selected and matched with comparison schools. Data are presented about the mathematics part of the study, along…

The Arizona Student Assessment Program (ASAP) epitomizes the principle on which measurement-driven reform is based, "You get what you assess." This policy study examines the ideologies and intentions of groups instrumental in the creation and implementation of a performance-based assessment reform. The study was conducted by interviewing…

This report explores the application of cost analysis to testing and assessment in elementary and secondary schools. A case for economic analysis of testing is first outlined. The case rests on the importance on test information, the magnitude of resources devoted to testing, and the relevance of an economics of information model to testing…

Praxis III is an assessment procedure that provides information for making instructional and licensing decisions about beginning teachers. The Praxis III Assessor's job is to interview the beginning teacher, observe the teacher in the classroom, score the teacher's performance on 19 criteria, and summarize the evidence for each score. The Assessor…

A job analysis was conducted of the knowledge and skills important for the competent performance of beginning business education teachers. The results of this job analysis will be used to define the content domain of the subject assessment in Business Education for the Praxis Series of professional assessments for beginning teachers. A domain of…

This paper provides a framework for the discussion of policy and development of educational quality. Based on the choice of indicators, the purpose of assessment, and the type of evaluation, the paper proposes a whole-matrix approach to addressing the critical issues in assessing and monitoring educational quality. These critical issues include…

A survey in education describes the present condition of an educational program and forms the basis for knowing what is happening in a particular school. This volume is intended to be a practical guide to school surveying in South Korea, but not a scholarly thesis on surveys. The emphasis is on field studies and how surveyors can perform a school…

Chapter 1, Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) is the largest Federal program aiding elementary schools and secondary schools. Some 51,000 schools, including over 75% of the nation's elementary schools, receive Chapter 1 money, which they use to prove supplementary educational services to low-achieving students in…

Test misuse is neither isolated nor recent. It is a problem that cannot be easily solved. While test misuse may be reduced or managed, it cannot be eliminated. Test misuse has cut across America's social, economic, and political institutions, including schools. The most flagrant abuse of a test is what happens to the results of the Scholastic…