In 1999, Rhode Island students in grades 3, 7, and 10 took a performance assessment in writing as part of the Rhode Island State Assessment Program. These two documents, a guide for educators and a guide for parents, describe the test and its scoring. The test is called a performance assessment because it requires the students to demonstrate their…

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…

Beginning in 1999, all of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) had to be aligned with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards. This handbook describes the PSSA writing assessment, which was designed to measure individual student performance and to influence instruction. The guide contains a chart of the Pennsylvania Academic Standards…

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 score interpretation guide is designed to help administrators and classroom teachers understand the scores and scales of the 1994 and Beyond Maryland School Performance Assessment Program (MSPAP). MSPAP scale scores indicate a school's level of performance in the content areas of reading, writing, language usage, mathematics, science, and…

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…

In 1988, the New Jersey Legislature passed legislation that moved the High School Proficiency Test (HSPT) from ninth to eleventh grade. This test of basic skills in reading, mathematics, and writing will be a graduation requirement for all students in New Jersey who enter high school on or after September 1, 1991. In October 1994 the test was…

The New Jersey Grade 11 High School Proficiency Test (HSPT11) consists of sections for reading, mathematics, and writing that must be passed as requirements for a high school diploma. Students who do not pass all three sections receive additional instruction and retake sections they have not passed. This booklet helps educators review, interpret,…

This book for college faculty provides a resource for developing, using, and grading classroom exams. The first chapter addresses ways to determine what content should be included on an exam. The second chapter identifies testing considerations such as number of exams, difficulty level of items, and test length. Chapters 3 and 4 provide guidelines…