This study explores correlations between human ratings of essay quality and component scores based on similar natural language processing indices and weighted through a principal component analysis. The results demonstrate that such component scores show small to large effects with human ratings and thus may be suitable to providing both summative…

The extent of congruence of the underlying factor structures of the learning environment and cognitive variables for mathematics and English courses in grade 10 are presented. The Learning Environment Inventory (LEI), the Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Test, and the Sequential Tests of Educational Progress were administered to 317 students. The…

Reading comprehension tests usually contain reading passages followed by multiple choice questions about the passages; but one potential weakness of this format is that the questions may be "passage independent," answerable without necessarily reading the passage first. When examining this phenomenon by assessing a particular test, the…

The passage dependence of an item refers to the degree to which it is necessary to read the associated passage in order to be able to answer that item correctly. This paper studies the value of obtaining data about passage dependence in the construction of reading comprehension achievement tests. Passage dependence indices were examined in several…

This study examined the predictive association between gender, ethnicity, and homework parental involvement, self-regulated learning processes, and motivational beliefs among 10th grade high school students. It was predicted that students' motivational beliefs and self-regulatory processes would be significant predictors of students' math academic…

Connecticut is developing a new grade 10 statewide testing program known as the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT). The CAPT reflects the changing nature of standardized assessment by using a variety of assessment formats including performance tasks, open-ended questions, and multiple-choice tests. This paper describes the research that…

An investigation was designed to reveal, describe, and assess the rote-level and meaningful-level understandings students attained as they progressed through the learning of new concepts. This study used an assessment technique used in previous research called "mental modeling" to ascertain the nature (meaningful, rote) of the…

This 1-week study explored the extent to which high school students (n=140) acquired meaningful understanding of selected biological topics (meiosis and the Punnett square method) and the relationship between these topics. This study: (1) examined "mental modeling" as a technique for measuring students' meaningful understanding of the…

This study investigated the retention of meaningful understanding of the biological topics of meiosis, the Punnett square method and the relations between these two topics. This study also explored the predictive influence of students' general tendency to learn meaningfully or by rote (meaningful learning orientation), prior knowledge of meiosis,…

Using the nationally representative National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS88) database, the relationships of first language (L1) proficiency to subsequent use of that language (home language maintenance), English proficiency and achievement and English self-concept were examined. Confirmatory factor analysis results showed that L1…

A study was conducted to examine the feasibility of using scores on the districts' standardized norm-referenced tests (NRTs) to predict performance on Florida's State Student Assessment Tests (SSAT) at grades 3, 5, and 8, and on the SSAT-I and SSAT-II given in grade 10. Specific questions about the use of district scores were addressed in a study…

In response to state mandates, the Hawaii Department of Education (HDE) began reporting on the current achievement status and progress of students scoring in the lowest three stanines of the Stanford Achievement Tests (SAT). The Longitudinal Student Achievement Monitoring (LSAM) process is described and evaluated; it was established to monitor low…

Arkansas law requires that each student aged 7 through 16 years in a home school program be tested annually using a nationally recognized standardized test chosen by the students' parents from a list of tests approved by the state. Achievement for home schooled and public schooled students in Arkansas was compared for grades 4, 7, and 10 using 6…

This study, focusing on 165 public elementary schools in Hawaii, examined the use of test scores as measures of curriculum effectiveness and identified context and input variables that may impact on these measures of effectiveness. Demographic characteristics and test data on approximately 12,000 third graders were used to obtain 165 school…