The effects of time spent on reading at school and at home on 195 intermediate grade students' reading achievement was assessed. A stepwise multiple regression analysis, in which prior standardized reading comprehension scores served as a covariate, revealed that time spent on reading contributed significantly to reading achievement. (TJH)

High-school and college officials blamed the dip in verbal scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test on students' reading too little. The average verbal score dropped from 427 to 424 while the average mathematics score remained at 476. A total of 1,025,523 high-school seniors took the test in 1989-90. (MLW)

A study found that trained standardized patients could provide a reliable assessment of English proficiency of foreign medical graduates by comparison with a standardized language test, but further research is needed to determine whether it is necessary to provide a clinical context for language assessment. (MSE)

Discusses national standardized testing versus testing reform and provides an overview of the alternative assessment movement and its relationship to the school library media specialist. Highlights include criticisms of standardized testing; theoretical assumptions for alternative assessment; research and practice related to specific alternative…

Program managers increasingly incorporate standardized tests into outcome evaluation. Guidelines are presented for selecting and using standardized measures following addictions treatment. These principles, which cover eight basic criteria, are applicable to outcome evaluation of health programs in general. Practical issues related to using…

Like medieval war games of dialectical argument, today's education model is based on idea of competition, a scholastic sorting process aimed at fixing every child's place in life. So long as access to higher education rests on standardized test scores and/or high school grades in conventional subjects, higher education institutions will subject…

Presents the entire text of the Sandia National Laboratories report, "Perspectives on Education in America." The report includes detailed analyses of dropout studies, standardized testing, postsecondary studies, educational funding, international comparisons, and educator status. It also addresses future workforce requirements, changing…

Differences between national testing as discussed in the most recent report of the National Council on Education, Standards, and Testing, and by the Office of Technology Assessment are reviewed. National testing is not new, but the political use of nationally standardized achievement tests is a recent and dangerous trend. (SLD)

The academic success of home schooling has been repeatedly documented. There are now 1.23 million children being home schooled in the United States Home schoolers have been a key part of the coalition fighting nationalized testing. They have also been disproportionately subject to child abuse investigations by social workers. As a result, they…

Examines national data sets of cognitive scores for intellectual dysgenesis by considering race, socioeconomic status, and ability-related changes in test scores over time. The analysis did not support the dysgenic hypothesis; however, it indicates a convergence of the various segments of U.S. society. (MMU)

POWER (Providing Opportunities with Everyday Reading), stressing reading in the content areas, is a program for high schoolers driven by continuous improvement and teamwork. Improved test scores and enhanced attitudes toward reading result from high teacher commitment and sustained interest achieved through this teacher-led program's design. (MLH)

Discusses the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as a possible admission barrier for women returning to graduate school, including data from an informal survey of ten universities in the southeastern United States. The validity of the exams for this population is examined, and alternatives are suggested for identifying older adult women who would…

The 2000 poll shows substantial public satisfaction with public schools; willingness to improve the existing system; eroding support for high-stakes testing and for private- and religious-school choice; insufficient financial support as schools' biggest problem; and parents as having greater influence than teachers over student performance. (MLH)

The current emphasis on accountability, standards, and assessment is missing one important dimension--connection to a sense of values and beliefs. In California, standards are stifling creativity and flexibility; standard-setting is too politicized; test scores are eclipsing democratic values; and cash rewards won't necessarily improve student…

The compelling ideas underlying the standards movement are being distorted by poor implementation and political opportunism. Higher standards will probably not affect the nation's already booming economy or close the white/minority achievement gap. An emerging rebellion, driven by negative testing consequences, is eroding political support.…