Educational assessment and, more broadly, educational research in the United States have entered into an era characterized by a dramatic increase in the prevalence and importance of test score use in accountability systems. This volume covers a selection of contemporary issues about testing science and practice that impact the nation's public…

The purpose of this writing sampler is to familiarize Delaware teachers and students with the major writing portion of the Delaware Student Testing Program. Included for each grade level (3, 5, 8, and 10) are the original prompt and an example of exemplary student work. Although the intent was to include student work for each of the rubric score…

The purpose of this writing sampler is to provide teachers and students with work representing each of the rubric score points for the stand alone writing prompt on the 2001 Delaware Student Testing Program. The student papers included in this document are part of the "anchor sets" (collections of scored student work "anchored"…

The purpose of this reading sampler is to familiarize Delaware teachers and students with the reading comprehension portion of the Delaware Student Testing Program. Included is information about the reading tests for grades 3, 5, 8, and 10. This sampler contains the following examples for each grade level: a reading passage; a multiple choice…