Technical questions regarding the reliability and validity of large-scale portfolio assessment were studied which focused on: (1) whether raters can score collections of writing reliably with rubrics designed for single samples; (2) whether ratings derived from different frameworks differ in their capacities to support technically sound…

Standards-based curricula are being created throughout the world, and exit exams are being implemented in order to make sure that students meet those standards. There is a real potential that these standards will help improve the achievement of students, but there is also a possibility that these exams will be implemented in a way that will be…

Chapter 1 of this report and user's manual describes design and implementation of the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS). Chapter 2 reviews stages of sampling for national and state survey components; presents weighted and unweighted response rates for the household component; and describes non-incentive and prison sample designs. Chapter…

This paper examines the results of a questionnaire on reading ability in English by Japanese college students, which was formerly analyzed using raw scores, from the viewpoint of Rasch measured scores. In the Rasch analysis, the basic requirements for measuring are the following: (1) reduction of experience to one dimensional abstraction; (2)…

Student testing in Japan is not effectively used. In many cases test results are used only for ranking and sorting students into whatever the designated purposes of the tests are. They are not focused on monitoring individual student progress. This is an especially inadequate approach for teaching oral communications courses. This paper proposes a…

This paper discusses the results of a study that investigated the validity and reliability of the Ecology Rating Scale (ERS). The ERS is a brief, multi-dimensional level-of-functioning instrument that can be rated by parents or clinicians. The ERS is comprised of seven domains of youth functioning: family, school, emotional, legal/justice,…

Scales were developed to assess both the custodial and humanistic aspects of student control ideology. Research based on the responses of about 500 Hong Kong teacher education students showed responses to these scales were of adequate internal consistency, and confirmatory factor analysis supported two independent scales rather than a continuum…

This technical manual provides an overview of the "Transition Behavior Scale-Second Edition Self-Report Version" (TBS-2 S-RV), an assessment that provides the means by which student behavior, which is predictive of employment and societal transition behavior, can be documented. Those students (ages 12-18) most likely to have problems in employment…

This monograph documents the basis for selection of test items and health-related, criterion-referenced standards associated with the Brockport Physical Fitness Test (BPFT), a criterion-referenced fitness test for children and adolescents with disabilities. The manual is divided into separate chapters for the relevant components or sub-components…

This guide examines the legal issues to consider in setting policy on the appropriate uses, and consequences, of student testing, and explores the controversies that have arisen in places where new polices were implemented. Chapter 1, "An Overview of Student Testing and Assessment," provides a brief overview of some of the state and…

The purpose of this study was to address the validity of grades of 3 on AP® Examinations and to compare AP students to other relevant student groups. While research has shown that students who earn grades of 3 or higher and place out of introductory courses do well in the subsequent courses, there are some college faculty members who think this is…

Evaluates the effectiveness of five admission models in predicting student performance in a Masters of Business Administration program. Found the regression model predicts graduate success better than the other models, but none of the models improved upon the admission officer's judgment. (Author/JAC)

Studies by the Stanford Research Institute indicate that poor Black children were 3.5 times more likely to be identified by teachers as mentally retarded than their White counterparts. Biased intelligence tests should not be used for placement, and lawsuits should be filed against their use throughout America where there is a demonstrated need.…

The analysis in this article is directed to the basic issues: Are IQ tests biased against Black children? And are IQ tests valid for the placement of Black children in special programs? The research evidence on these major issues is ambiguous and contradictory. (Author/CTM)

Evaluated social competence and problem behaviors among 217 Russian preschoolers. Found anxiety-withdrawal, anger-aggression, and social competence factors similar to those found in American, Canadian, French, and Spanish children. Found a mix of universal and culturally specific features that may be connected to gender stereotypes prevailing in…