This volume and its companion, "Part 1," bring together transactions of the Rasch measurement special interest group of the American Educational Research Association. It presents "transactions" in chronological order, from a 1992 discussion through the winter 1995 volume. Four issues of the "Transactions" are…

This is the second progress report under "Academics 2000: First Things First," a Texas initiative under the Goals 2000 program. The Academics 2000 Education Improvement Plan, adopted in 1995, is organized under the nine objectives for Texas public education listed in the Texas Education Code. The progress report discusses implementation…

Since 1991-92, student writing portfolios have been part of Kentucky's high-stakes performance-based assessment. A study of schools with continuously improving or continuously declining writing portfolio scores led to identification of 36 indicators of successful writing programs. These indicators were used to develop a comprehensive needs…

This working paper summarizes the results of an expert panel review of the Lexile Framework (LF). The review was conducted by five panel members through readings, the preparation of brief individual reports, and participation in a meeting held on April 26, 2001 in Washington, D.C. The list of panel members and invited observers, along with brief…

In current evaluation practice, the implicit philosophy of value, appraisal, and action is seen as a form of Benthamite utilitarianism. A domain of value called "educational worth" is described. Ways of detecting the presence of educational worth in liberal learning programs are identified. (MLW)

The three general categories that encompass the legitimate uses to which test data can be put (i.e., public reporting at the local, state, or regional level; identifying needs and allocating resources; and making judgments about promotion and graduation) are identified and examples are offered of policymakers' use and misuse of test results. (LC)

Describes an audit checklist developed by the Mahoning Shenango Area Health Education Network to identify continuing education needs of nurses. This checklist was then piloted in four community hospitals, and data collected will be used in planning future programs. (NRJ)

Suggests that research aimed at examining the effect of death education courses may be limited by the instructor's lack of awareness of the conditions necessary to promote change. Explores the parallels between death education and group psychotherapy and the factors inherent in seminar-type death education courses. (Author/JAC)

Schools play too many roles; their fundamental purpose is teaching basic skills, computer literacy, sciences, languages, and civics. This report acknowledges the importance of state and local control, but argues that only the federal government can pursue the national interest in having quality schools, equality of access, and quality control. (PB)

The difficulties surrounding the application of educational research are explored from the point of view that an empirical understanding of the social sciences is not as effective as a common sense approach to human behavior called "interpretative understanding." Shortcomings of empiricist methodology, laws, and interpretation are…

The effects of the Performance Based Teacher Education (PBTE) movement are categorized into six areas: (1) conscience-pricker; (2) clarifier of educational purpose; (3) bridge between theory and practice; (4) humanizer of educational process; (5) stimulator of research and development; and (6) change catalyst. (CJ)

In assessing the validity of a norm-referenced model used in evaluating large-scale federal educational programs for disadvantaged children, gain estimates were shown as approximately equal with randomized control group model estimates compared by retrospective analyses of two databases. (Author/CM)

Describes development of an instrument to define and evaluate certain aspects of the model and assess its use. Levels of implementation were significantly lower than levels of agreement with the model. Differences could not be attributed to student/staff ratio, or the training and experience of the student personnel administrator. (JAC)

Discusses a study undertaken to discover whether any change of attitude towards teacher participation in school decision making occurred among a group of student teachers between the completion of their college course and the end of their probationary year. Findings indicated that the most satisfied probationers had been the less liberally…

In an interview, Willard Wirtz discusses his recent report, "Measuring the Quality of Education." Wirtz believes that the National Assessment of Educational Progress should be widely publicized and used and directed toward framing nationwide standards of educational quality. (Author/WD)