Discusses different emphases placed by institutions of higher education on a range of admissions criteria including academic performance, evidence of graduation, letters of recommendation, personal essays, and interviews. Concludes that standardized tests are not the pervasive barrier to higher education in the United States that many test critics…

The present social and political climate is marked by an increasing appreciation of human diversity and of society's need to accommodate such diversity. The social context for testing is thus fundamentally different from that in which standardized testing developed. Testing should now be more concerned with facilitating equal opportunity.…

Responds to the Nader report on the Educational Testing Service authored by Nairn. Major themes of the nine chapters of the report are addressed. The last sections provide comment on the responses of the Educational Testing Service. (RC)

Arguments for enjoining enforcement of the New York state law to disclose results of standardized admissions tests to students address these issues: copyright, financial harm to test creators, constitutional protection, and the public interest. Recent court litigation, especially concerning the Medical College Admission Test, is reviewed. (MSE)

Responding to critics of testing, the author presents an argument in its favor--that testing is one of the ways in which a teacher may gather information necessary for student monitoring and instructional decision-making. (SJL)

Grade inflation, which distorts the measurement process and reduces student effort, is caused, in part, by teachers' concern for students' emotional needs. Communication of classroom expectations and grading procedures, frequent evaluation, and utilization of standardized testing data can help reduce grade inflation. (Author/WD)

Assesses the feasibility of using a statewide database containing standardized test scores to examine the utility of developmental reading programs in Texas. Suggests that a wide range of academic experiences may pull most students up in terms of reading competence. (TB)

Presents reflections on the demise of this journal. Argues that in this capitalistic society, neither literary quality nor cultural authenticity are valued and the numbers of authors of color and high quality books that reflect the cultural diversity of our world continues to decrease. (SG)

Discusses the current political situation in the United States and the ways in which literacy education, particularly reading education, has been socially constructed and politically situated in the last several years. Suggests that the policies educators are currently implementing will lead to a generation of teachers who pay homage to externally…

Makes the case that the narrow approach to accountability mandated in North Carolina hinders the realization of the governor's plan for education reform. States that school cultures shaped by a testing environment do not support what is recognized as good teaching. (SK)

Compares the usefulness of standard score results (such as correlations and standardized regression of coefficients) to that of raw scores results (such as covariances and raw score regression coefficients). Examines the two main advantages of presenting standardized results. Demonstrates the implications of these two standardized score advantages…

Reports on the effort by the National Teacher Examination to set standards in the field of speech communication. Describes the way in which the examination is put together and discusses some of the strengths and weaknesses of such a method. (KEH)

In this interview, George Madaus explains how the misuse of tests corrupts the inferences drawn from them. He calls for cost-benefit evaluations of high stakes tests and challenges educators to seek better accountability methods, test student samples, use multiple indicators, and include teacher judgment in the process. (MLH)

Identifies the many different groups of scholars, teachers, administrators, and other professionals who lay claim to the field of writing assessment. Describes the various positions, and outlines the major beliefs and assumptions about what is important and valuable. Examines an intolerance for other positions within each position, and identifies…

Reviewed is the research of Dr. Phyllis Rosser and the comments made by several speakers at a hearing on gender bias in testing held in October 1989. Discussed are historical perspectives, the gender gap in testing, and possible explanations for this gap. Sample test items are provided. (CW)