An item discriminability study of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills Language Skills tests identified test items that are robust discriminators, psychometrically capable of separating low scorers from higher scorers in the language tests battery. The analysis was conducted by calculating a point-biserial correlation for each item on the four language…

The paper examines issues, philosophy and guidelines for psychological assessment of the disabled. Focused on are: (1) adjustments in testing procedures and (2) applicability of standard norms with commonly used psychological test instruments for the assessment of ability, interest, and personality. The importance of accurate assessment for…

This document summarizes the criteria for Chapter 1 eligibility, discusses a step-by-step selection procedure, used in the Austin Independent School District, explains the laws and regulations concerning how students are to be selected, emphasizes that special testing should be administered to students whose scores are clearly discrepant from…

Careful management of a testing program can greatly limit a teacher's opportunity to cheat while administering standardized tests to students and can increase the likelihood that such cheating will be detected. The Austin Independent School District's systemwide testing staff's plan for controlling cheating has three basic premises: (1) plan and…

Discuss seven basic intellectual competencies possessed by all human beings: linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, and intrapersonal. Because I.Q. tests can measure only the first two qualities, this interview suggests evaluating schools by quality of educational experiences and students by project…

Discusses the importance of fairness in evaluation studies of second-language programs and the potential for misinterpretation of studies which are not program-fair. Strategies designed to overcome this problem from the perspective of standardized tests include: specific tests for each program, program-specific plus program-neutral measures,…

Defines curriculum as a written organizational plan used for conscious decisionmaking to enhance student achievement and promote responsible social behavior. All written plans for Red Bank (New Jersey) Schools, including testing, scheduling, and budgeting, become part of this curriculum. Workable plans need a sound structure and constant revision.…

Tests producing results that are used to make important decisions about students, schools, and curricula should not be developed locally by teachers. Although district educators at all levels need to become familiar with measurement nuances, the development of high stakes tests is best left to measurement professionals. Includes four references.…

The determinants of Scholastic Aptitude Test scores are estimated for 1982 in a regression analysis correcting for the proportion of students taking the test. Schooling variables and statewide graduation standards proved insignificant. Demographic variables (family size and education levels) proved significant and help explain SAT score decline in…

Asserts that failure to consider carefully the purposes and uses to which standardized tests are put can place barriers in the way of equal educational opportunities for minority students. Proposes six precautions for ensuring that standardized tests can be used without endangering equal educational opportunities. (PGD)

The principles underlying currently used standardized tests of French, designed to certify language proficiency of nonnative speakers, are outlined and their implications for French second language instruction are examined. Both general and business-related exams are discussed. (MSE)

A framework is presented for implementing standardized achievement testing. Fundamental concepts and formats of the tests are reviewed, and useful references are listed. Standardized tests are considered and categorized in terms of administration format, functions, validity, and type (cognitive versus noncognitive). Thirteen basic recommendations…

Suggests that faculty suspects that assessment will only confirm that many students have problems with college level learning. Views assessment as part of the learning enterprise, a way of helping greater proportions of students succeed academically, and a source of information needed to meet diverse student abilities, backgrounds, and interests.…

The structure, level, and contents of four categories of final examinations, including the three-Point, four-Point, and five-Point Bagrut exams, are discussed. Possible reasons are offered for why some students take higher level examinations than those for which they are prepared. (LB)

Two differing opinions about the value of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in college admissions address these topics: over-reliance on the test as a predictor of student success; omission of some students' scores from institutional profiles; effects of abolition of the test; and admissions officer understanding of psychometrics. (Author/MSE)