The weaknesses of standardized testing are apparent in assessing student achievement in the social studies. State mandated criterion referenced tests, aligned with objectives on the state level, may be better for assessing social studies achievement, but they also have weaknesses. The development of portfolios has been an attempt to compensate for…

This paper discusses the rationale behind and uses of high stakes testing. Much of the support for high stakes testing comes from a desire to boost student achievement by increasing student and teacher motivation to do well. There are many disadvantages to high stakes testing, including inappropriate use of the test, inadequate test development,…

This document consists of 14 articles which appeared in the electronic news bulletin, "EducationNews.org," and which were part of a series on "Test Bashing," a discussion of the use of standardized tests that focuses on controversies surrounding the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills and test score improvements in Texas. The…

This paper discusses assessment in science in the context of current discussions of standards and high stakes testing. Setting standards is always challenging, and care is needed to make the standards for science achievement neither too high nor too low. States must be careful to establish standards that are clearly written and that have high…

This report presents the results of the 2000 NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) fourth-grade reading assessment for the nation. Results in 2000 are compared to previous NAEP reading assessments. After an introduction, chapter 1 presents average scale scores and achievement level results for the nation. Chapter 2 presents average…

This report highlights the results of the 2000 NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) fourth-grade reading assessment for the nation. Results in 2000 are compared to previous NAEP reading assessments. The report presents average scale scores, information on students reaching NAEP achievement levels, percentiles and reading performance,…

This 27-slide PowerPoint presentation presents the results of the 2000 NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) fourth-grade reading assessment for the nation. It presents average scale scores, information on students reaching NAEP achievement levels, percentiles and reading performance, student subgroup findings, and home and school…

In this report, the extent and nature of education freedom is estimated for each state, using a new Education Freedom Index (EFI). This analysis shows the remarkable differences in education freedom among the states and attempts to make educational freedom a concept that becomes the subject of policy debate. The EFI is composed of measures of five…

In 1998, the Chicago Public Schools piloted the Chicago Academic Standards Exam (CASE) to assess how well students had learned the content and processes delineated in the Chicago Academic Standards (CAS) and Frameworks. This report examines the implementation of district curricular standards and assessments and the effects on teaching in four high…

Virginia's Standards of Learning Program is designed to provide a set of standards reflecting the commonwealth's expectations for student learning and achievement in grades K-12. The program also measures student learning through statewide testing on the standards in grades 3, 5, and 8 and for certain high school courses; enhances teacher…

A study of the impact of student-teacher ratio on student learning in New York State examines results on statewide assessment instruments across the rural-urban continuum. Data were analyzed for 614 of New York's 760 school districts and included various indicators of district wealth; urban, suburban, town, or rural location; local poverty; rate…

This report presents district-by-district achievement data on 57 major city school systems in reading and mathematics. State assessment results were collected from state Web sites, reports, and databases. Data were analyzed by race/ethnicity when reported. Overall, the Great City Schools have made meaningful gains in math scores on state…

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's Talent Development High School comprehensive reform model addresses low student achievement and poor school climate, blending a common core academic curriculum with career themes in the upper grades. It includes a separate Ninth Grade Success Academy with interdisciplinary teacher teams, ninth and tenth grade Career…

This study investigated the possible impacts of language and curriculum differences on the performance of test items by subpopulations of students. Focusing on Measurement and Geometry items completed by students in French- and English-language schools in Ontario made it possible to explore the differences and to compare the item response theory…

This report provides selected results from the 2002 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for Iowa's public-school students at grade 4. Since 1992, reading has been assessed in four different years at the state level (at grade 4 in 1992 and 1994, and at both grades 4 and 8 in 1998 and 2002). Iowa participated in all of these…