Despite widely-held beliefs to the contrary, three different sources of research data prove that children in the 1990s read better on the average than either their father's generation or their grandfather's generation. "Then and Now" studies indicate that students read better now than decades ago. Restandardization of test norms also…

One of 10 reports commissioned by the National Academy of Education, this report investigates topics related to an assessment program piloted by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) designed to support state-by-state and state-to-nation comparisons of student performance in reading. The report focuses on three issues: (1) the…

This paper addresses practical Army problems in reading assessment from a theory base reflecting the most recent research on reading comprehension. Military and occupational research shows that reading proficiency is related to job performance. Reading assessment is a key issue in the Army due to changes in the reading ability levels of the Army…

This current annual report describes the progress made in the following aspects of the organizational plan; the identification of a model of reading which includes a description of subskills that may be present in skilled readers and are acquired by most normal readers, the construction of criterion referenced tests to measure each of these…

This document reports on Parkway Missouri School District's Right to Read Reading Clinic aimed at improving the reading abilities of elementary school students. The contents consist of objectives, staffing procedures, testing, diagnosis, diagnostic tests, screening tests, case report forms, remediation phases, case study, case report, counselor…

The principles of readability are in every style manual. Readability formulas are in every writing aid. What is missing is the research and theory on which they stand. This short review of readability research spans 100 years. The first part covers the history of adult literacy studies in the U.S., establishing the stratified nature of the adult…

Considers the positioning of middle grade readers in standardized reading assessments, analyzing questions and tasks they encounter as they read and respond to standardized test items. Reading tests require children to show that they have understood and accepted a particular kind of positioning as readers. This analysis is contrasted with…

PIRLS 2006 provides countries with the unique opportunity to obtain internationally comparative data about how well their children can read. Countries also will obtain detailed information about home supports for literacy as well as school instruction. For the 35 countries that participated in PIRLS 2001, PIRLS 2006 will provide information on…

The School Mastery of Reading Test (SMRT) program was designed to give administrators and teachers information about reading performance and recommendations for improving the instructional program. The project includes development of a valid and reliable reading test based on the New York City curriculum in order to assess the potential linkage…

This report is an evaluation of a New York City School District educational project funded under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. The program was designed to serve 1,640 children attending special day schools, psychiatric hospitals, and day and residential treatment centers for the socially maladjusted and emotionally…

This paper discusses certain problems that can arise with respect to the selection of content in the preparation of a test to measure language proficiency for some specific purpose. Forty employees in a defense plant in Montreal, Canada were interviewed in order to specify language needs, to arrive at a precise interpretation of the required…

Reading tests can be a source of inquiry into the processes of reading, learning to read, and curricular implications. During a staff development program, teachers reviewed and analyzed various reading tests. They discovered that reading tests seem to be unequal in their concern for what is being measured; that very few tests offer explicit or…

This report discusses a project aimed at students both developing a positive attitude toward reading and related skills and showing at least a ten month achievement growth on the Stanford Achievement Test in word meaning, paragraph meaning, word study skills, spelling, and language over the pre-analysis survey of the same test. The contents…

Describes a program to assess the reading skills of deaf elementary school students, focusing on four concerns: areas and abilities to be assessed, sources of information, record keeping, and use of evaluation information to guide instruction. The assessment materials are available free of charge in exchange for feedback about their usefulness.…

Although the New York State reading assessment was aimed at identifying children with extra educational needs, one study shows that the current high-stakes nature of the tests has distorted that intent. Rather than rewarding instructional quality, state accountability profiles often reward questionable instructional practices such as retention in…