New Jersey Education Association policy regarding testing is presented. The policy recognizes the need of teachers, students, parents, and other decision-makers for continuous and comprehensive evaluation and diagnosis of student progress, but opposes the use of tests for denying opportunities, allocating school funds, evaluating teachers or…

A statistical model is presented for processing quantitative admission data that weights equally two or more quantitative elements to ensure that the N most consistently high scorers qualify for the N available positions. The quantitative elements considered are overall grade point average (GPA), GPA in selected courses, and standardized test…

A model for assessing the developmental skills of handicapped children is presented, for school psychologists. Stressing the relationship between assessment, intervention, and program evaluation, it is consistent with Public Law 94-142. Three assessment methods are recommended: parent interview, observation, and adaptive use of standardized tests.…

Described is a two-pronged approach to assessment of cognitive-communicative functions in head injury, incorporating elements of both restorative and compensatory models. The approach combines: (1) use of standardized cognitive measures, and (2) observational protocols for systematic evaluation of functioning on integrated, multicomponent tasks…

The new scale used for scoring the Scholastic Assessment Tests (SAT) is explained, its development is described, and implications for the college admissions process are discussed. The recentering was designed to remedy the downward drift of the score distribution midpoint. (Author/MSE)

Authentic assessment requires students to think critically while applying skills to solve real-world problems. Integrating traditional and authentic assessment can provide accurate pictures of what students know. This paper describes one elementary teacher's experiences with alternative assessment, discussing possible concerns with using authentic…

This article provides an overview of strength-based assessment of children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders and discusses the development and psychometric characteristics of the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale (BERS). The BERS is a norm-referenced, standardized test that assesses the strengths of children and…

This article explains characteristics associated with the use and evaluation of criterion-referenced measures by speech language clinicians, in contrast to norm-referenced measures. Guidelines are offered for the evaluation and selection of standardized criterion-referenced measures and for the development and ongoing evaluation of informal…

This insightful and practical guide for parents shows how they often undermine rather than encourage their teens' success on one of the most stressful standardized tests--the SAT--and what strategies will remedy the problem. In recent years this test has taken on fearsome proportions, matched only by the growing competition for slots at major…

Standardized college-level tests of thinking have serious drawbacks, but they can be used effectively to compare results with other teachers or researchers and to suggest possible ways of measuring aspects of thinking in faculty-constructed tests. Faculty-designed tests should provide opportunities for students to use the important knowledge and…

Commercial achievement tests often provide limited instructional guidance and seldom provide feedback specific to any given classroom. The most instructionally relevant achievement tests are those developed by an individual teacher for use with a particular class. This digest describes the steps of test construction and presents suggestions for…

This digest offers guidance in identifying and nurturing mathematical talent in children. Mathematical talent is defined and the characteristics of mathematically talented students are listed. Some mathematically talented students do not achieve well in school mathematics due to a mismatch between the student and the mathematics program. Ways that…

The purpose of these guidelines is to highlight proper and beneficial uses of College Board test scores and related data and to caution against uses that are inappropriate. The guidelines describe the College Board's responsibilities and those of users of the test scores. Other topics addressed include: use of test scores in counseling, recruiting…

The Research and Evaluation Branch of the Los Angeles Unified School District presents a bulletin to help prepare students to do their best on achievement tests. The bulletin is divided into five sections. After an introduction, section 2, "Characteristics of Today's Standardized Achievement Tests" discusses test content, test format,…

Standardized tests represent one way of obtaining assessment information. Yet in recent years educators and the public have voiced concerns about an overriding emphasis on tests and test scores. Pressure to "teach to the test" means that not enough time is spent on higher order thinking and literacy skills because minimal competencies…