The National Teacher Examinations (NTE) Core Battery and Specialty Area tests were assessed to determine (1) test validity and (2) minimum performance standards for use in the state of Tennessee. The NTE was reviewed by 316 teacher education personnel, who focused on its relevance to teacher education programs. A group of 288 local school district…

A discussion is presented of the component in the Educator Improvement Act (mandated by the state of South Carolina) which provides an evaluation procedure for prospective teachers beginning in the freshman year in college and ending during the first year of teaching. A description of the basic skills Educational Entrance Examination includes…

The issues and implications of state policies in teacher candidate testing meant to improve instruction, competence and the education system are reviewed. Arguments for teacher testing as quality controls and to increase public confidence in schools; guidelines to consider before implementing programs; and testing alternatives are discussed. (CM)

The rationale for the role of state educational agencies in certifying teachers, the National Teacher Examinations (NTE) program and the new NTE Core Battery are discussed. State certification in Arkansas, Florida and Oklahoma, Louisiana's consideration, and the District Court of South Carolina decision concerning NTE use for certification are…

A history of teacher testing in South Carolina was presented to serve as a context within which the current teacher evaluation system might be interpreted. Legislation in 1940 mandated that renewal of certificates and issuance of new certificates to teachers be predicated upon the applicant's completion of a comprehensive and objective…

STATES THAT HAVE ATTEMPTED TO EVALUATE TEACHERS BY WAYS OTHER THAN DEGREES GAINED AND/OR EXPERIENCE INCLUDE (1) SOUTH CAROLINA WHICH USED THE NATIONAL TEACHER EXAMINATIONS (NTE), (2) NEW YORK--MERIT PROMOTIONAL INCREMENTS, (3) DELAWARE--SALARY INCREASE FOR TEACHERS WITH CERTAIN RATINGS, (4) TENNESSEE--A SALARY DIFFERENTIAL SUPPLEMENT TO SUPERIOR…

The National Teacher Examination (NTE) validation and cut score determination procedures for use in teacher certification in Arkansas are discussed. The NTE area examinations to be validated were selected by the Arkansas Department of Education, which compared the state's certification requirements with the NTE's rationale, content, and scope…

The New York State Board of Regents and the State Education Department have approved a plan to implement a written licensing examination as the first step in a process to professionalize teaching. However, important issues and questions are raised when considering this testing component, such as: (1) the questionable validity of tests already in…

This amicus curiae was filed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the case of the United States of America and South Carolina Education Association v. South Carolina, which involved the validity of South Carolina's use of the National Teacher Examinations (NTE). The NTE, a battery of achievement tests designed to measure the academic…

A panel of 24 public school teachers and 37 college/university faculty members provided recommendations on minimal standards for the essay portion of the National Teacher Examinations Communication Skills Test. Public school judges' recommendations were significantly more variable than were those of college/university judges. (TJH)

Teacher competency testing is not new, but since the mid-1970s the number of states requiring new teachers to be tested has grown rapidly. States differ in their definition of competence, in the methods they use to assess competence, and in the treatment of teachers who do not meet competency requirements. This monograph describes a national…

This amicus curiae was filed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) in the case of the United States of America and North Carolina Association of Educators v. North Carolina, which involved the validity of North Carolina's use of the National Teacher Examinations (NTE). The NTE, a battery of achievement tests designed to measure the academic…

In 1988 a study was conducted to determine the validity of candidate teacher licensure examinations for use in Tennessee under the 1984 Comprehensive Education Reform Act. The Department of Education conducted a study to determine the validity of 11 previously unvalidated or extensively revised tests for certification and to make recommendations…

Trends in teacher competency testing, test bias against minority group teachers, and ways to encourage qualified personnel to join the teaching profession are discussed. Currently, 21 states require students to pass a test to enter a teacher education program, and 31 require teacher candidates to pass a certification test. Admission tests include…