The author points out the limited usefulness of standardized tests in identifying gifted students. Research is cited to dispute common assumptions underlying many tests, including that speed is important, that intelligence is last year's achievement, and that testing must be conducted in an anxiety producing situation. (CL)

The functions, goals, and characteristics of test standardization are discussed, including an explanation of how score equating as an aspect of standardization is essential to the achievement of equity in testing. Psychometric specialists and testing program directors must understand score equating to ensure equitable use of tests. (Author/AL)

Testing students once a year, with data reported many months later, is like using an autopsy to determine how to help a patient, says Cindy Ambrose, chief academic officer of the Horry County Schools in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. In Horry County and many other districts around the country, assessment that monitors vital signs on an ongoing…

Throughout the United States, initiatives are being launched to extend the school day, increase homework, integrate technology, and require more high-stakes testing. The underlying assumption is that more time in school, more homework, more technology, and more high stakes testing will produce smarter, better-prepared students. Instead of…

Six fundamental public misconceptions about tests are discussed: (1) the view of tests as infallible, objective predictors of behavior versus the view of tests as completely without value; (2) the lack of understanding concerning pyschometric characteristics of tests; (3) the confusion between labels and constructs; (4) the belief that all the…

This paper presents a model of testing and assessment that has the potential to address the concerns of critics of standardized testing. The model differs from the traditional approach in several ways including, how it views human nature and the test taker; the purpose of testing; the testing process; the outcomes of testing; and who makes testing…

Occasionally, differences in test scores seem to indicate that a student performs much better in one reading area than in another when, in reality, the differences may not be statistically significant. The author presents a table in which statistically significant differences between Woodcock test standard scores are identified. (Author)

Critical thinking is a socially constructed, contextual process not well measured by standardized tests. Better, locally grounded methods are pre/posttest (scenario building), experiential (critical practice audit), behavioral (critical debate), and conversational (storytellers and detectives). (SK)

Over many decades, the efforts of researchers to understand key issues in the reading performance of those children most at risk for developing later reading problems has been relentless. This article presents the author's commentary to three studies: (1) Vanderwood, Linklater, and Healy (2008); (2) Edl, Jones, and Estell (2008); and (3) Baker et…

This article is a compilation of the views of 16 PhD students and the author on Steven Klees' 2007 article titled, "A quarter century of neoliberal thinking in education: Misleading analyses and failed policies." The students and the author have taken Klees' article as a stimulus to try and explicate the anatomy of the decline of the…

Schools in the Houston Independent School District (HISD) are required to administer standardized assessments to measure student achievement in core academic areas. The assessments are administered in English. Student scores are used to rank schools in defined categories of performance ranging from Underperforming to Exemplary. A significant…

This article illustrates how the transformation of a classroom into an interactive museum devoted to historical inquiry, not only satisfies the need to meet history standards, but more importantly, results in rich and rewarding learning opportunities for students. Here, the authors present three purposes of writing this article, and these are: (1)…

This article presents a reply to "Edison Is the Symptom, NCLB Is the Disease" by Peter Campbell--a critique that portrayed the school as an exploitative environment, a veritable plantation subjugating poor minority children through mind-numbing, compliance-inducing drills. The author refutes the specific charges leveled against…

The author reviews his criticisms of standardized tests and suggests an alternative five-point plan for assessment that includes frequent testing in the child's classroom by a familiar examiner. (CL)

Three nonprofit organizations support a dialogue on standards-based educational reform. North Central Regional Education Laboratory, Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning, and the Berkana Institute offer Web sites and a toll-free number to those who want to comment on this type of reform. In surveys, a clear majority of parents feel…