Assessment is discussed as a formal and overt manifestation of quality control. With some experiences in Swedish nursing education taken as the point of departure, assessment is discussed as: (1) a policy implementation and curriculum problem concerning the interpretation and exercise of programs by those in control; (2) a teacher problem…

As part of the final report by the Arizona Board of Regents' Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competitiveness, information on statewide activities on assessment and outcomes measurement is presented. The information comes from a 1986 survey by the Educational Commission of the States, American Association for Higher Education, and State…

As schools move from corporate to collegial forms of organization, it will become necessary to adapt evaluation systems to collegial environments. This paper outlines a system that utilizes features of professional self-regulation from higher education while maintaining dispute resolution mechanisms from the public sector. Features of the system…

The Title I/Chapter 1 Technical Assistance Centers (TACs) were originally created to provide assistance to state and local education agencies in implementing the Title I evaluation and reporting system. However, over a 10-year period, TAC role has changed significantly. Its service foci have evolved from providing evaluation assistance to helping…

The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) conducted a national survey to determine the status of local campus initiatives in student outcomes assessment. Its goal was to determine whether assessment programs have been or are being developed, the objectives and source of initiation, and assessment techniques. Of…

An analysis of what is currently known about the benefits and costs of assessment programs from the general perspective of state higher education policy is presented as a working paper in the final report of the Arizona Board of Regents' Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competition. State and institutional approaches to assessment in…

This Texas Education Agency (TEA) pilot study sought to identify a valid, reliable, and manageable way to use the expanding "effective schools" database to guide school accreditation development. The theoretical basis for the incorporation of effective schools correlates into the Campus Effectiveness Model (CEM). The underlying…

The Music Curriculum Steering Committee of the Greater Albany (Oregon) Public School District 8J developed its own tests and evaluation procedures to accumulate data on music achievement and performance levels from students in third, fifth, eighth, and eleventh grades. Tests for third and fifth grade students focused on musical notation, listening…

The legitimate uses of new instruments for the selection and appraisal of principals, factors influencing use of these instruments, and safeguards to minimize misuse are discussed. Performance appraisal systems in education have been used legitimately to ensure that principals meet minimum performance standards, and for promotion. Another valuable…

Many criticize the educational system, arguing that it suppresses individual creativity. This paper proposes an alternative instructional design which is intended to be used by educators in planning for creative learning and assessing it in the classroom. It is based on the notion that everyone has the potential to be creative and that any process…

This paper documents the development of a conceptual framework to ensure that the necessary steps are undertaken for effective policy implementation. These steps include the articulation of policy, the translation of policy into procedures, the operationalizing of those procedures into rules, and then both internal (formative) and external…

This report is designed to provide numerical data about student performance on the curriculum of the Boston (Massachusetts) Public Schools (BPS) as measured by curriculum referenced tests (CRTs). BPS Department of Educational Testing analyzed data from the 1986 CRT final exams in: reading and language arts (grades K-8), high school English (six…

Ten recommendations on outcomes assessment primarily for undergraduate education are offered by the Program and Institutional Assessment Task Force of the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO). The recommendations include: degree-granting institutions should assess entering students to determine whether they are prepared to take…

Science education specialists from Asian and Pacific countries convened to explore issues related to the evaluation of pupil science learning. This document contains a synthesis of the discussions and findings of the meeting. Summaries of the study group's deliberations are provided in four sections. Chapter 1 describes the participating…

This paper presents a discussion of outcome assessment that puts into context how measurement has evolved to its present state. Several types of testing and assessment options are considered against a background of validity. Criterion-referenced measurement is discussed extensively in terms of history, field study, identity problems, intellectual…