Two versions of a criterion-referenced videodisc-based instrument, SHIPS (Self-Help InterPersonal Skills), have been developed for high school students with hearing impairments. Students can choose either American Sign Language or English-based sign versions of assessment items. Field testing found that use of SHIPS enhanced data validity and…

This study examined the amount of variance explained by alignment of testing to instruction among low socioeconomic level fourth graders, proposing two instructional alignment hypotheses. Results indicated that alignment had an unusually high effect. Low performing low socioeconomic level students achieved high success levels when conditions of…

To study whether different forms of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) used since the mid-1970s varied in their correlations with academic performance criteria, 1975 and 1985 forms were administered to 1,554 and 1,753 high school juniors, respectively. The 1975 form did not have greater validity than the 1985 form. (SLD)

A lawsuit involving the National Board for Respiratory Therapy illustrates that certification examinations are vulnerable to complaints of discrimination and employers' misuse of test results. The board's five-step process--position-viability study, personnel survey, job analysis, item writing/test development, and criterion-related validity…

Primary research on student ratings of instruction is reviewed, and questions about the validity of such ratings as measures of teacher effectiveness are explored using nomological coding of 43 validity studies to examine causes of variability in coefficients of validity. Deficiencies of prior analyses and research needs are identified. (SLD)

Quantitative research on feedback that college teachers receive from student ratings is methodologically critiqued. The critique is based on a recently completed review and statistical study of 28 related studies by R. L'Hommedieu, R. J. Menges, and K. T. Brinko. Feedback effects may be stronger than research indicates. (SLD)

Normative and psychometric properties of a recently developed teacher checklist, the Academic Performance Rating Scale (APRS), were studied using 493 urban elementary school children (251 males and 242 females). The APRS was a reliable and valid source of information about the quality of a student's academic performance and behavior. (SLD)

The reliability and validity of multiple-choice tests were computed as a function of the number of options per item and student ability for 435 parochial high school juniors, who were administered the Washington Pre-College Test Battery. Results suggest the efficacy of the three-option item. (SLD)

Development and validation of the Ethical Climate Index, designed to measure perceived ethical climate of an institution's graduate and professional school programs, is described. The instrument was found to be valid and reliable, and variability was found in student perceptions of ethical climate across major academic areas. Research needs are…

A study with 2,453 college students investigated the construct validity of the student commitment to institution as a factor in academic persistence. Results suggest factors such as institutional quality, practical educational utility, student-institution fit, and loyalty to institution were more predictive of persistence than similarity of…

The reliability and validity of the Self-Esteem Inventory developed by S. C. Coopersmith (1975) were evaluated via item-total correlation, discriminant analysis, factor analysis, and analysis of variance of data for 352 Australian adults. The instrument had high internal consistency and discriminated well between subjects with high and low…

Measures of linguistic competence for limited-English-proficient students are discussed. The results for 134 students in grades 3 through 6 from a study of the reliability and validity of the Sentence Verification Technique tests as measures of listening and reading comprehension performance in native languages and English are reported. (TJH)

The Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery-Revised is a set of tests designed to measure cognitive abilities, scholastic aptitude, and achievement in the areas of reading, mathematics, and written language, in individuals aged 2-95 years. This paper describes the test battery's administration, scoring, standardization, reliability, and…

The effectiveness of representative teacher evaluation instruments for assessing the eligibility of public school teachers for merit pay was evaluated via a literature review. Elementary school principals' (N=200) ratings of teachers were analyzed. Rating instruments may be useful for making initial decisions about who should be eligible for…

The development and validation of a weighted index capable of discriminating among competing learner needs to allow equitable resource allocation are described. Using the Delphi technique, this national study was concerned with the needs of Australia's school-age population with non-English-speaking backgrounds. (TJH)