Offers responses from three teachers regarding how best to prepare students for standardized tests while maintaining meaningful instruction. (SR)

Simplistic and misleading statements seriously distort what the Third International Mathematics and Science Study actually says about American 12th-graders' performance. Physics and advanced mathematics scores are beyond redemption. However, if the math and science literacy were accurately calculated, factoring in appropriate variables, the United…

Discusses a proposal by the president of the University of California system to drop the SAT from admissions criteria, seen by many as a way to increase diversity without affirmative action. Explores the reactions of faculty and other institutions. (EV)

Teachers' attitudes and nonverbal messages about standardized testing can affect students' test scores. This article presents a four-question test to help teachers determine their attitudes toward standardized testing, then offers suggestions on how to get rid of excess baggage before approaching the tests and explains the importance of…

Suggests that students should be selected on the basis of their demonstrated success in learning, not some ill-defined notion of aptitude. (Author/MM)

Studied the reliability of the Addiction Severity Index (1980) by using eight trained professional actors as client surrogates to examine the reliability of the instrument when administered in the field. With careful surrogate selection and training, the method proves to be an effective means of assessment. (SLD)

In this article, the author discusses how today, local educators have less freedom than ever. When the federal government anointed some research "scientific" and declared the rest unworthy, it narrowed local choices and helped big publishing. When NCLB created an exclusive list of programs and textbooks that could be purchased with federal monies,…

Accountability is the catchphrase for today's educators, who recognize that they and the institutions they represent are expected to demonstrate value--to students, faculty, administrators and the larger community. But instructional accountability is about far more than standardized test scores, dropout rates or transiency and attainment of…

The No Child Left Behind Act is the most far-reaching attempt by the federal government to alter American public education in the last thirty years. Among other things, the act attempts to hold schools accountable by requiring that all teachers be highly qualified, that all students demonstrate proficiency in basic subject matter as measured by…

Standard-setting research has relied very heavily on certain types of information that, although helpful, may be inadequate for judging the quality of standard-setting results. To increase confidence in standard-setting results, the measurement community must understand far more about the panelists' task and about the factors that influence their…

While librarians routinely collaborate with reading and humanities teachers, they rarely partner with teachers of math and science--to the loss of students. With the current emphasis on standardized testing and declining student performance in math and science, media specialists need to remedy this situation. Why don't librarians click with…

Inside the Washington, D.C., beltway, the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) is seen as either a sea change in federal education policy or a half-measure designed to demonstrate the political leadership's willingness to "do something"on education. There is no genuine opposition in Washington to…

This study investigated the relative frequency of seven TW strategies among Iranian EFL students to find out probable relationship(s) between test-wiseness, proficiency and gender. To do so, out of 138 participants, a total number of 80 undergraduate EFL students from Shahid Chamran University were chosen and divided on the basis of their…

While many studies attest that some teachers contribute more to their students' academic growth than other teachers, research has not been very successful at identifying the specific teacher qualifications, characteristics, and classroom practices that are most likely to improve student learning. Unfortunately, this is just the information that…

This study examined the relationship between data use and achievement at 13 urban Title I schools. Using multiple methods, including test scores, district surveys, school transformation plans, and four case study site visits, the researchers found wide variation in the use of data to inform instruction and planning. In some cases, schools were …