Responds to Richard Innes's criticism of his June 2002 "Kappan" article. (PKP)

A court decision that a pioneering New York law illegally preempted federal law by forcing publication of standardized test material protected by federal copyright could undermine greater disclosure in standardized testing, but quick changes in testing practice are not expected. (MSE)

Disagreement rages over wide SAT test score disparities among various student subgroups. Critics find the SAT inherently biased toward White males and a poor predictor of college performance. Others attribute score differences to differences in preparation. The College Board advises taking more vigorous courses, reading extensively, and taking…

Describes experience of Bates College with optional testing, summarizing results of optional Scholastic Aptitude Tests over five years and presenting snapshot of totally optional testing over one year. Discusses enrollment, predictive, and ethical implications of an optional testing policy. Concludes with some brief speculations on definitions of…

Discusses the progress in accurate measurement of reading, the major challenges for reading researchers in developing better measures in reading, and significant developments in the near future. (RS)

American testing is primarily controlled by commercial publishers and nonschool agencies that produce norm-referenced, multiple-choice instruments designed to rank students cheaply and efficiently. Such tests are not intended to support instruction. Test scores tied to tracking, grade retention, graduation requirements, and rewards and sanctions…

Discusses steps that teachers and concerned parents can take to ensure that their students and children are not overburdened by standardized tests. Examines the significance of standardized tests and considers some alternatives to standardized tests, such as more effective parent-teacher conferences. (MDM)

Surveyed 598 marriage/family practitioners to examine use of standardized assessment instruments in practice. Responses from 188 clinicians who reported use of tests revealed that 147 different standardized tests were used in marriage and family therapy practice. Test use was most frequent for treatment planning purposes, except in premarital area…

Virginia Standards of Learning will not work for excellence or for equity. First, the big ideas of the disciplines get lost in the specificity; second, the rigidity in requiring students to meet standards at each grade level does not offer flexibility to schools and teachers to adapt time and instructional methods. Well-defined standards should be…

Teachers everywhere are playing the score-boosting game to raise scores on mandated standardized achievement tests, although five nationally recognized assessments compare student performance instead of measuring classroom learning. Since curriculum standards are often vague and misaligned with assessments, teachers sprinkle instruction with…

Continues a discussion of standards related to school library media specialists and their professional lives. Highlights include National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education; American Library Association; National Board for Professional Teaching Standards; International Society for Technology in Education; Council for Basic Education;…

Discusses the ongoing debate among politicians and educators over the relative merits of standardized tests and authentic assessment. (JOW)

This article reviews issues in questionnaire design beyond the creation of standardized questions and basic data collection rules. The use of magnitude scales, the application of decision theory, and the use of a questionnaire framework that replicates how choices are made by respondents are among the new design approaches discussed. (SLD)

Hyperrationalization in educational policy creates problems in the imposition of standards by centralized authorities and pursuit of efficiency through standardized tests, based on the assumption that education can be routinized and mechanized. A humanistic alternative is to make students the focus of educational policy and practice. (Contains 33…

Identifies drawbacks of testing, especially high-stakes, standardized tests, and acknowledges pressures on teachers to acquiesce. Encourages teachers to focus on deep learning; use of higher-level questions, tasks, and projects; a wide range of materials; transfer of learning to other contexts; and ways to diffuse tension and build enthusiasm for…