American taxpayers are currently investing more than $160 billion annually in public elementary and secondary education. Concerned citizens continue to ask: For what purposes is the money being used, and is it accomplishing its purposes? This seven-chapter study addresses these concerns and provides factual answers to related questions about the…

Intended as the beginning of an ongoing review of the California Community Colleges' (CCC) vocational education programs, academic certificate and degree programs, and short-term job skills and retraining programs, this paper sets out to: define economic development and clarify its role in the community college context; develop a consensus among…

The Center for Interactive Technology, Applications, and Research at the College of Engineering of the University of South Florida (Tampa) has developed objective and descriptive evaluation models to assist in determining the educational potential of computer and video courseware. The computer-based courseware evaluation model and the video-based…

This third volume of the Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS) Student Performance Results reports school district and campus performance results alphabetically, based on the percentage of students passing all tests taken in 1989-90. Performance results of special education students are excluded. District and campus results are…

The general features of function-specific assessment are described and illustrated via a discussion of the design and development of "The Reading Biographer," an instrument for assessing experiences and activities of students (from early childhood through high school) that affect their reading achievement as high school seniors. The…

The history of the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Factor Kits is summarized. The original ETS Factor Kit was developed in 1954 and contained 51 items, three each for each of 15 factors and six for a 16th factor. The next edition was developed in 1963 and included adaptations (clones) of the defining tests instead of the exact copies. These…

Guidelines, practical suggestions, and examples are offered to assist teachers in planning and developing tests to accurately measure student achievement. The six chapters cover: (1) planning tests; (2) developing tests; (3) assembling and administering tests; (4) interpreting test results; (5) assessing test items; and (6) improving test validity…

This paper summarizes an investigation of applications and issues in free response (FR) testing during 1989. It draws on ideas from the results of the National Educational Longitudinal Study 1988 (NELS:88) field test, a seminar series at the Educational Testing Service (ETS), working papers prepared for several FR testing applications, and…

This overview of the literature on teaching, learning, and assessment was prepared to help develop a shared understanding by educators, researchers, and students to inform subsequent research conducted by the Scottish Council for Research in Education (SCRE) into the National Certificate in Scotland. Section 1 serves as an introduction to the…

This report to the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education by the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education requested approval for nine technical colleges to offer associate in arts (AA) and associate in science (AS) degree programs beginning fall 1990. First, background information is provided on the organization and structure…

This paper addresses the following questions: (1) What skills are needed in the U.S. economy? (2) What are citizens getting from U.S. schools? and (3) How does the United States get what is needed? The paper is divided into three sections. The first section, "The Transformation of the American Economy," examines the following data…

Alternatives for testing the achievement of college students in Maryland are reviewed by committee members appointed by the State Board for Higher Education and Maryland's public institutions of higher education. The achievement testing alternatives would be a means of assessing institutional effectiveness; all entail the use of tests currently in…

This booklet is designed to acquaint teachers with mathematics skills tested on the High School Proficiency Test in New Jersey. Included is the report of the mathematics committee which helped develop the test; the listing of the mathematics skills tested; the description of the conditions and context in which each skill is assessed; the actual…

Efforts have been made to increase the dissemination and use of data generated by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Potential users include those concerned with curriculum and methods evaluation, public policymakers, and researchers. NAEP can provide data for curriculum evaluation, including item analysis data which assist in…

This paper discusses the rationale for international comparisons in educational achievement, presents factors which affect the validity of such comparisons, and makes recommendations for the role of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) with respect to international studies. International comparisons are of interest in policy…