Discusses several recent publications describing assessment methods available to institutions of higher education as they assess the outcomes of their general education programs. Briefly explains how each publication contributes to institutions' understanding of the range of possible assessment strategies. (EV)

Argues that standardized testing and portfolio assessment are not oppositional methods for determining student growth and teacher effectiveness but are complementary means of gathering and interpreting information that can lead to more holistic evaluations of student achievement in school. Suggests that much remains to be done in teacher education…

Compares critical curriculum issues from 1988 to the current situation. Finds that standards, measurement, and testing still shape curriculum and are still strongly pushed by policymakers; opposition to teaching evolution is stronger; curriculum fads remain a problem; and a backlash against standardized tests may be forming. (SK)

This study compared the academic achievement of high school students on the block schedule with the academic achievement of high school students on the traditional schedule to determine what impact block scheduling would have on academic achievement. Results showed students on the traditional schedule scored significantly higher on standardized…

Summarizes the findings of the latest study by the American Federation of Teachers on the progress of the standards movement, focusing on standards, curriculum, assessments, and accountability. Discusses whether states have coherent standards-based systems in place and recommends mid-course corrections necessary to the success of the standards…

Suggests that the most conspicuous victims of high-stakes testing are low-income minority children. Notes that families and educators are beginning to "engage in civil disobedience to rescue education from the current accountability fad." Concludes that it is very important to investigate whether the proposed response is likely to fix the problem…

Discusses the direction large-scale educational testing is heading, pointing out pitfalls in current and future use of such tests. The large-scale assessment community seems to be unconcerned about the central mission of education, the instruction of children. (SLD)

Presents a model-based approach to rater reliability for essays read by multiple raters. The approach is motivated by generalizability theory, and variation of rater severity and rater inconsistency is considered in the presence of between-examinee variations. Illustrates methods with data from standardized educational tests. (Author/SLD)

Factor and regression analyses of data from 241 business students found clear differences between grade point average (GPA) and Major Field Test in Business scores. GPA had strong internal validity and reflected performance in the context of institutional priorities. The test had greater external validity and enabled benchmarking against national…

Compares the scores of elementary education majors at a state university and those of the national population for the SAT and three sections of PRAXIS II: communication skills, general knowledge, and principles of learning and teaching. Relates these scores to the education majors' overall grade point average and grade in a Measurements and…

Examines the early history of state student assessment, describing how an accountability model for state testing failed between 1865-1965 and stressing the role of institutionalized clusters of normative and causal ideas in educational policy making. These policy frameworks define core principles that nimate state action, legitimate aims served by…

Considers three possible responses to standardized testing: Ignoring the test, embedding the test, and embracing the test. Concludes that the problem lies not in the tests themselves, but rather in how educators approach them and, more inherently, in what educators believe about them. (SG)

This study analyzed the factor structure of the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests Revised (WRMT-R), a test battery used to measure basic reading skills. Findings indicated that both forms of the WRMT-R contain a large unrotated general factor and, when rotated obliquely, two correlated factors representing basic skills and reading comprehension.…

In this article, the authors explore the role of district and school leaders in reconceptualizing accountability policy by adapting and mediating it using three primary strategies. Specifically, they discuss how leaders cultivate relationships and interactions, reculture the district and schools, and integrate and align school and district…

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 emphasizes school accountability, including consequences for perceived school failure, and NCLB consistently equates educational success with high student standardized test scores. I argue that NCLB may produce unacceptably high levels of collateral damage, and that teacher educators have special reasons…