In this empirical study we examined the effect of a literacy-infused science intervention on fifth grade economically challenged students' science achievement in the curriculum-based and standardized assessments. A total of 27 treatment students and 20 comparison students from two intermediate schools in a rural district in South Texas in the…

The stability of subskill scores on the Reading Comprehension Test of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills was studied. It was concluded that the subskills are of limited use in diagnosing specific strengths or weaknesses in a student's reading comprehension skill development. (Author/GK)

Standardized reading test scores, family socioeconomic status (SES), and teacher-assigned reading groups of pupils in 37 midelementary classrooms from four school districts were examined. Little support was found for the conjecture that pupil or teacher social class plays a major role in elementary school reading grouping. (Author/GK)

A study determined the effect of parental involvement on reading achievement of participating students. Subjects were 22 fifth-grade students in a Chicago public school who received parental involvement and 19 students in the same school who did not receive parental involvement. Subjects' scores on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills were used in the…

A study determined the effectiveness of the "Direct Instruction" program on the reading achievement of sixth-grade students. "Direct Instruction," known as "Distar" in the 1960s, is a phonic-based method that uses scripted lesson plans engaging students to learn by memory and classroom responses. Subjects were 30…

The factorial validity of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills was investigated. Hierarchical factor analysis was performed with a subset of the standardization data to explore the presence of second-order group factors. Results supported the construct validity of Language and Mathematics subscales. Verbal and Visual Information group factors were…

Presents a comparative review of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills--Mathematics and the Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test. Performance of fifth- and sixth-grade students (N=548) on the two batteries was also compared. Results indicated the two tests measure essentially the same mathematics skills. (JAC)

Examined the impact of elementary school students' participation in test interpretation on teachers' and students' attitudes toward the tests. Results showed students who participated in the interpretation session felt they had done better on the test. Most teachers reported positive attitudes toward the program. (JAC)

Noting that existing research reveals considerable diversity among researchers' philosophical stances toward literature-based reading instruction versus traditional basal reading instruction, a study determined what effects literature-based instruction had on the reading achievement of fourth graders. Subjects, fourth-grade students of the John P.…

A study examined the relationship between geographic mobility and school achievement. Subjects, 15 fourth-grade students who transferred more than twice and 47 fourth-grade students who did not transfer as often from a Chicago public school in a low socioeconomic area, had their scores on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills compared. Results indicated…

A study determined whether computer assisted instruction (CAI) had an effect on students' reading achievement. Subjects were 21 randomly selected fourth-grade students at D. S. Wentworth Elementary School on the south side of Chicago in a low-income neighborhood who received a year's exposure to a CAI program, and 21 randomly selected students at…

To determine whether mastery of one reading comprehension task is a prerequisite to mastery of two or more reading comprehension tasks, a study examined the prerequisite relations existing in the item responses elicited from a sample of sixth grade students who took the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills, Form G, Level 12 reading comprehension test. Test…

Compares fourth-graders' subtest scores on the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT), the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS), and the Metropolitan Achievement Test (MAT). Finds right-brain dominant students scored better on four SAT subtests, and left-brain dominant students scored better on four ITBS subtests and two MAT subtests. (NH)

A study examined the effect of Direct Instruction (DI) on the reading achievement of sixth graders. Subjects were 72 Chicago Public School students, nearly 100% minority. In the school year of 1994-95 no students received DI. A sample of 30 students who performed poorly, with stanines of 1, 2, and 3 on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) were…

The aim of this study was to show that the superiority of corrected-for-guessing scores over number right scores as true score estimates depends on the ability of examinees to recognize situations where they can eliminate one or more alternatives as incorrect and to omit items where they would only be guessing randomly. Previous investigations…