Contends that assessment should be about improving instruction. Proposes that educators should be informed about the benefits and limitations of both alternative assessments and standardized tests. Informs educators of Internet resources available to assist in this endeavor. Provides an annotated list of 16 Web sites that provide general…

Analysis of all January and June 2000 test scores for Alberta high school seniors found weak relationships between gender and both diploma examination and school-awarded scores. The largest statistical effect for gender was that the difference between the two sets of scores was greater for girls than boys, with school-awarded scores being higher.…

Focuses on the process of evaluation capacity building (ECB) in a school district from the perspective of an internal evaluator hired to develop the evaluation function of the district. Shows how the work was originally conceived and why it changed. Emphasizes the core function of the district's Assessment Department, managing the standardized…

Notes the author vowed to prove to herself and to her students that they could meet and exceed the state standards, that they could succeed on any test, and that they could do it while engaging in authentic, context-based reading, writing, speaking, listening, thinking, viewing, and visually representing. Discusses units of study based upon a…

Presents in "journal entry" form, one year of teaching in particular that stands out as the year the author shifted from teaching facts to teaching children. Concludes that preparing students to perform well on standardized tests does not have to be separate from good teaching and authentic learning. (SG)

Reviews research surrounding current standardized testing practices, examining the efficacy of the Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) examination in particular. The paper reports results of a study that correlates RICA test scores with existing test data, seriously questioning the current testing trajectory as it relates to RICA and…

Discusses four different paths that literature can take: the positive path; the negative path; the creative path; and the transformative path. Concludes that a literature curriculum that invites transformation, justice, and healing to happen points in stark contrast to how truly inadequate standards-based, test-driven education is to addressing…

Reviews the limitations of large-scale testing, as indicated by the Commission on Testing and Public Policy. Suggests implications for elementary language arts teachers, administrators, and teacher educators. Concludes with predictions regarding the state of assessment in the year 2000. (MG)

The reading practices of four inmates were analyzed, showing very distinct approaches to reading. Standardized tests proved inadequate for assessing their learning needs. Other assessment formats such as miscue analysis and individualized instruction and materials were recommended. (SK)

Discusses several problems associated with standardized testing. Proposes possible solutions to these problems, and calls for a new perspective on testing which utilizes informal tests and teacher observations of reading behavior. (MM)

Children, grades three through six, in Lawrence (Massachusetts) were studied during the 1986-87 school year to determine whether participation in the School Breakfast Program by low-income children is associated with improvements in standardized achievement test scores and attendance rates. Findings indicate that participation is associated with…

The only way to improve schools is to ensure that faculties judge local work using authentic standards and measures. Concrete benchmarks are needed that obviate both eccentric teacher grading and simplistic standardized testing. A school has standards when it adopts high, consistent expectations of all learners in all courses. Includes 11…

Comments on the negative aspects of discipline-based art education (DBAE), focusing on standardized instruction and testing. Criticizes the designers of DBAE for using a technocratic, rationalistic model of education. Expresses concern that DBAE evokes identical student responses, rather than the diverse outcomes that should be the goal of art…

Elementary teachers often spend so much time on reading, writing, and mathematics that science gets short shrift. Since science instruction is weak, testing is disappointing. This article suggests ways to improve large-scale and teacher-controlled science assessments. A sidebar lists questions to ask about tests. Includes 12 references. (MLH)

By creating science achievement tests that satisfy cognitive fidelity and process relevance criteria, educators will produce achievement indicators that serve a reporting function and still benefit the educational system. The true test of students' understanding is hands-on assessment in a laboratory situation. Includes eight references. (MLH)