Schools are drowning in test data, but many schools do little with test results other than sort students into various categories of proficiency or lack thereof. Some educators feel testing has taken the joy out of teaching. Others believe valuable instructional time has been lost as a result of testing. Yet, NCLB and other federal and state…

Mandated literacy assessment is now a ubiquitous practice in many western educational systems. While educational researchers, principals, teachers and education unions continue to offer vociferous resistance in some nations, in others it is now commonplace in the educational landscape and built into the rhythms of the school year. This paper is…

All too often, literacy assessments are given only for accountability purposes and fail to be seen as valuable resources for planning and differentiating instruction. This clear, concise book shows K-5 educators how to implement a comprehensive, balanced assessment battery that integrates accountability concerns with data-driven instruction.…

This guide is intended to guide local discussion and assist public school staff in implementing standards, assessment, and reporting procedures under the policies of the Nebraska State Board of Education. In 1998, the State Board of Education adopted the Nebraska Learning Educational Achievement through Rigorous Nebraska Standards (Nebraska…

In recent years, governments worldwide have increased their use of standardized tests and other forms of external tests to measure and report on student achievement in selected academic subjects. That trend, responding to public pressure on decision-makers to make school systems more transparent and accountable, is often colored by criticisms of…

This guide is intended to provide new and updated information for Nebraska educators in developing procedures for implementation of the Nebraska School-Based Teacher-Led Assessment and Reporting System (STARS). The information supports and updates information in the 1999 STARS guide and the STARS "Toolkit" of December 1999. It is…

This update is intended to provide a summary of current information for implementing the Nebraska School-Based Teacher-Led Assessment and Reporting System (STARS). It is part of a series of materials provided by the Nebraska Department of Education beginning with the STARS guide of 1999. The summary includes background information, including the…

Project CAPABLE (Classroom Action Program: Aim: Basic Learning Effectiveness) is a classroom approach which integrates the basic learning skills with content. The goal of the project is to use basic learning skills to enhance the learning of content and at the same time use the content to teach basic learning skills. The report evaluates the…

This handbook deals with the specifics of integrating teaching and testing in the context of high school classes. It is part of a school-based staff development program for high school teachers and is designed to have faculty members in a department work as a team. Colleagues are asked to help one another develop instructional units and courses…

This document, which is a checklist, was designed for use by a state team to conduct a preliminary self-analysis of the state?s system of standards and assessments. The checklist is organized into the following sections: (1) Content Standards; (2) Academic Achievement Standards; (3) Overview of the Statewide Assessment System; (4) Technical…

This update provides information about statewide writing assessment administration procedures in Nebraska and statewide assessment reporting, and contains a review of model assessments. The information is intended to assist local educators in planning and preparing for the Statewide Writing Assessment in February 2001 and the reporting of local…

Asserts that, on average, women score lower on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Subject Test in Economics. Reports on a study of 149 student scores on the test to identify factors associated with this differential performance. Finds little support for the notion that men are simply better than women in quantitative areas. (CFR)

This update provides information for implementing the Nebraska Statewide Writing Assessment. It is intended to assist local educators in planning and preparing for the writing assessment being initiated in all public schools in Nebraska in grades 4, 8, and 11 in February 2001. The update continues the series of materials provided by the Nebraska…

This update provides information about the Nebraska Statewide Writing Assessment follow-up, the federal reporting of assessment information, and preparing the school District Assessment Portfolio. The information is intended to assist local educators in the reporting of local assessment information in June 2001. The update on the writing…

Reports on the rationale and processes behind the composition and evaluation of the Advanced Placement European History examination, focusing special attention on changes introduced in 1994. Discusses reasons for adding an additional thematic essay for the 1994 test. (CFR)