Currently, there are so many research studies in journals that a review board should be established to screen quality research from research without merit. Each school system should consider conducting research to confirm the quality of a selected, implemented, plan of instruction. First, school systems need to study what should be researched in…

This paper states that today's newspaper and educational journal articles complain that only half the school population can read on grade level. Yet standardized tests are written to spread pupils out from the first to the 99th percentile, or from three or more standard deviations above to three or more standard deviations below the mean.…

This essay, written for mathematics educators, addresses a series of questions related to the development of curriculum in mathematics education. The case is made that mathematics curriculum must be evaluated continuously to stay abreast of recent research results and needed trends. Also addressed is the question of how much mathematics…

Because state mandated testing has become so important in indicating student achievement in mathematics, measurement has become equally important in indicating student achievement. At the other end of the continuum of assessment, constructivists advocate assessing student achievement within an ongoing lesson or unit of study. The everyday…

The assessment of student achievement in mathematics is discussed. Different approaches should be used to ascertain student achievement of objectives in the mathematics curriculum. Some methods are subjective, such as rating scales, and these can be very useful. Among more objective approaches is the use of standardized tests. There is a number of…

The use of portfolios in assessing student achievement is contrasted with the use of standardized tests. Portfolios are considered more subjective than scores from standardized tests, and they present different issues in assessing and reporting student progress. Interscorer reliability may be a problem because of a lack of agreement about the…

This paper discusses some of the ways to assess learner achievement in history. Standardized tests are used frequently by states to measure learner achievement. There are many weaknesses inherent in using standardized tests to measure student achievement in history, especially the fact that the test may not be valid for the local classroom since…

There is currently much interest in the assessment of student achievement in public schools. This guide to forms of assessment discusses some of the most common tests and their uses. Standardized tests are described, and some of their limitations are outlined. State-mandated tests are common, and, because the creators of such tests are removed…

Three commonly used means of assessment of student achievement are discussed. First, standardized tests are often used to assess student achievement. These tests are developed by professional testing and measurement specialists who are completely removed from the local student and classroom. There are many objections to the use of standardized…

Many changes have occurred in techniques used to appraise student achievement in social studies, and these new approaches may put teachers in a better position to notice the progress of individual students and then plan for sequential learning. Some of the deficiencies of traditionally used standardized tests have been overcome through the use of…

The weaknesses of standardized testing are apparent in assessing student achievement in the social studies. State mandated criterion referenced tests, aligned with objectives on the state level, may be better for assessing social studies achievement, but they also have weaknesses. The development of portfolios has been an attempt to compensate for…

This paper discusses the rationale behind and uses of high stakes testing. Much of the support for high stakes testing comes from a desire to boost student achievement by increasing student and teacher motivation to do well. There are many disadvantages to high stakes testing, including inappropriate use of the test, inadequate test development,…

This paper discusses assessment in science in the context of current discussions of standards and high stakes testing. Setting standards is always challenging, and care is needed to make the standards for science achievement neither too high nor too low. States must be careful to establish standards that are clearly written and that have high…

Different kinds of tests are given to determine student achievement. Standardized achievement tests are often used, but have many limitations. They may be useful in determining the content students should learn and its relevance for future learning and the curriculum. Criterion referenced tests eliminate a major weakness of standardized tests in…

Teacher-developed tests can be more valid and reliable than standardized tests or state-mandated tests in evaluating student achievement in science. Many teachers, however, are not acquainted with the standards to use in test writing. The National Research Council has released "Classroom Assessment and the National Education Standards," a…