This study investigated the relationship between instructional use of handheld graphing calculators and student achievement in Algebra 1. Three end-of-course test forms were administered (without calculators) using matrix sampling to 458 high-school students in two suburban school districts in Oregon and Kansas. Test questions on two forms were…

This demonstration booklet illustrates the kinds of exercises or test questions and tasks used in the assessment of student achievement in reading and writing by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Each student will be asked to complete the background section and the cognitive sections for one subject, and the assessment will…

To determine the crucial factors affecting student performance on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in Manatee County (Florida) public schools, researchers sent questionnaires to students who had completed the SAT in the years 1977 through 1980. Of 887 students sent the questionnaire, 188 returned responses in time for tabulation. This small…

This document contains 99 exercises from the 1971-72 social studies assessment. The intended audience is researchers who need detailed information about the exercises and state and local educators who want to use the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exercises in their own assessment programs. The document includes a copy of the…

This research was undertaken to understand grade 3 students and teachers in Texas more fully and to explore the relationships between student characteristics, teaching practices, and materials in grade 3 classrooms and student performance in grade 3. Survey data was received from teachers for 7,216 students from 93 campuses and 72 districts around…

This report presents findings of a study of instruments used in the identification of gifted and talented students. The study first examined the published literature, both standardized and locally developed identification instruments and procedures, and strategies used to identify underserved populations. These data were catalogued in the National…

The SAT Program undertook two studies aimed at evaluating the impact of allowing students to indicate more than one ethnic/racial category. Results of this study indicated that there is little impact on DIF [differential item functioning] analyses when different definitions of ethnic/racial classifications are used compared to traditionally…

Reports a study of 269 students (males=147, females=122) from eight high school graduating classes in Shanghai, China, to determine whether gender differences in mathematics achievement as manifested in the United States exist. Analysis of variance by school on two measures indicated no gender differences except in one school on one measure. (MDH)

In the wake of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation, standardized tests have become increasingly high-stakes. Yet English language learners (ELLs) typically score far below native English speakers, creating pressure to "teach to the test." This article shares findings from an intensive year long study in 10 New York City high…

This report presents the results of a nationwide survey on the freshman placement practices of American colleges and universities. The report includes subgroup analyses by degree level, affiliation, size, region, and selectivity. Sources of information used for placement in English and mathematics are reported, including the most commonly found…

The availability of relatively inexpensive hand calculators and microcomputers is believed to be having an important effect on the teaching of mathematics and science in the United States. The appropriateness of allowing the use of this technology on standardized tests has become a concern of educators and organizations involved in testing.…

This report presents the rationale, development, and standardization of the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) Form O. The test is used to select individuals for officer commissioning programs, and candidates for pilot and navigator training. Form O contains 380 items organized in 16 subtests. All items are administered in a single test…

The booklet presents the two-part Grade 12 Diploma Examination for the Social Studies 30 program. Part 1 consists of 70 multiple-choice questions worth 70% of the total score. Each question has four choices and students must choose the one which best completes the statement or answers the question. Many questions are based on narratives,…

Implicit in most of the recommendations for teaching reading is the inclusion of structural analysis as a part of the instructional program for developing skills in word recognition. This study focused on the development and standardization of a criterion referenced syllabication skills test designed to evaluate the individual proficiency of…

Following the style of the 1958 original, this third edition of the Neale Analysis of Reading Ability is both a standardized attainment test and a diagnostic test for readers of all ages and thus can be used to assess reading progress objectively as well as to obtain structured diagnostic observations of an individual's reading behavior. It…