This monograph discusses criteria for judging the alignment between expectations of student achievement and assessment. Alignment is central to current efforts of systemic and standards-based education reforms in mathematics and science. More than four-fifths of the states have content frameworks in place in mathematics and science, and a large…

The book inquires into social purposes of schools and the translation of these purposes into educational goals, the functions of schools, and the aims of education. The author advances the thesis that schools are educational institutions. Chapter 2 discusses how social purposes have emerged in light of current realities, and distinguishes between…

This document is designed to show the connections between assessment tools available for primary and intermediate grades in the Kentucky public schools. Sections of the document outline the essential assessment tools and give information about how they support and mirror each other. These tools can be used to bridge the knowledge of primary and…

The "DATAWave" is a publication of the Assessment Resource Office of Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) (Portales) that reports on research conducted by that unit and research related to the university community. This volume contains seven issues. The first issue reports on a Diversity Survey administered to ENMU personnel and…

Developmental assessment is the process of monitoring a student's progress through an area of learning so that decisions can be made about the best way to facilitate further learning. The unique feature of developmental assessment is its use of a progress map. The progress map, or continuum, describes the development in an area of learning and so…

The Mid-South Educational Research Association (MSERA) is a nonprofit organization with the purpose of encouraging quality educational research in the mid-south and promoting the application of results of quality research in the schools. This volume contains summaries of the papers, discussion sessions, display sessions, symposia, and training…

This document reviews several theoretical frameworks of problem-solving, provides a definition of the construct, suggests ways of measuring the construct, focuses on issues for assessment, and provides specifications for the computer-based assessment of problem solving. As defined in the model of the Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards,…

This paper identifies research findings from a study on researcher and practitioner views of the relative effects of policies and practices on learning and the degree to which the implementation of what they view as important policy and practice influences on learning can be assessed and can serve as a basis for educational reform. It was designed…

Indicators are used in quite different ways in vocational education and training, from control and accountability to performance and quality purposes. A classification model has been proposed in which many indicators can fit. It is based on two important dimensions of indicators: (1) the "message" relating to the information content,…

This report describes activities and achievements of a project that examined state policies linking new accountability demands with improvements in college teaching and learning. Major activities included: (1) meetings and national forums to explore state and public concerns about the quality and results of undergraduate education; (2) two…

This paper outlines a method for professional assessment of music therapy students' learning and recall. The purpose of the assessment is to examine the Model of Domain Learning (P. Alexander, 1997) within an Australian context and to provide a professional assessment for application within music therapy education. Despite the music therapy…

This paper addresses emerging issues affecting students with disabilities in standards-based assessment and accountability systems. Challenges and possible strategies for addressing the challenges are provided as identified by researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, based on a model developed by the National Center on Educational Outcomes.…

The Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico-Rural Systemic Initiative (UCAN-RSI) supports standards-based reform in mathematics, technology, and science education for rural students in its states. This guide provides UCAN schools and communities with a set of measures that describe the location of a school/community on the developmental continuum of…

Advances in cognitive psychology deepen the understanding of how students gain and use knowledge and broaden the range of performances and situations researchers want to see to acquire evidence about students' developing knowledge. Advances in technology make it possible to capture more complex performances in assessment settings by including, as…

It is said that "there is no problem in American education that is not already solved in some American school. The pressing need is to discover these success stories and learn from them." This document presents data from educational indicators used by the National Education Goals Panel (NEGP) to provide insight into what works in schools…