The purpose of this study was to determine if the minimum number of observations stated in a district's teacher evaluation plan, observation characteristics described in a district's evaluation plan, and the characteristic of those evaluating teachers had an impact on whether a school would receive a bonus or penalty point for Indiana's A-F…

We use data from a large-scale, school-level randomized experiment conducted in 2010-2011 in public schools in Indiana. Our sample includes more than 30,000 students in 70 schools. We examine the impact of two interim assessment programs (i.e., mCLASS in Grades K-2 and Acuity in Grades 3--8) on mathematics and reading achievement. Two-level models…

Researchers at NIET and elsewhere have studied the effectiveness of "TAP: The System for Teacher and Student Advancement" (TAP) in raising student achievement, improving the quality of instruction, and increasing the ability of high-need schools to recruit, retain and support effective teachers. This document provides summaries of some…

Indiana English learners (ELs) constitute a rapidly growing portion of the state's school-aged population, and those classified as limited English proficient are low performers on the state test. The purpose of this embedded mixed methods study was to understand how school personnel respond to accountability mandates, interpret test scores, and…

As challenges are handed down from state and federal governments to demonstrate utility and efficiency within teacher education programs, it is important to stop and consider the role of teacher education within schooling. Perhaps we should prepare new teachers by asking, "How should we prepare new teachers?" By framing teacher education…

For over a decade, researchers at NIET [National Institute for Excellence in Teaching] and around the country have studied TAP™: The System for Teacher and Student Advancement. This document summarizes recent internal and external research, including three new studies demonstrating TAP's effectiveness at raising student achievement, improving the…

The purpose of this study was to explore whether William Deming's 8 Step Model would increase reading achievement in 3rd grade students. The study investigated how well the process based plan-do-check-act model when used as a treatment with fidelity, coupled with the principal as instructional leader would result in success in the age of federal…

This individual profile provides information on Indiana's high school exit exam standards and policies. Some of the categories presented include: (1) State exit exam policy; (2) Type of Test; (3) Purpose; (4) Major changes in exit exam policy since the 2009-10 school year for financial reasons; (5) Subjects tested on exam; (6) Grade exam first…

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…

This paper profiles the student subgroup achievement and gap trends in Indiana for 2010. Indiana made changes to its state testing program in 2009, so comparisons to earlier years could not be made for the sake of discerning trends in student achievement. Data on student achievement from earlier years are presented. (Contains 9 tables.) [For the…

Just as students are being held accountable with standardized testing, schools in many states are being judged by scores on these tests. This article discusses evaluation variables and factors that influence how well children perform on tests, explains school assessment, then focuses on Indiana, where there has been public argument about the…

This article highlights alternate assessment scoring and reporting in Delaware and Indiana. Delaware's alternate assessment portfolios are scored by two third parties using a multidimensional rubric. In Indiana, lead teachers use a rubric similar to that used in general education assessments to score alternate assessment electronic portfolios.…

This year the Center on Education Policy (CEP) analyzed data on the achievement of different groups of students in two distinct ways. First, it looked at grade 4 test results to determine whether the performance of various groups improved at three achievement levels--basic and above, proficient and above, and advanced. Second, it looked at gaps…