This report presents data on home schooling in the state of Arkansas that covers: students withdrawn from home school; home school student count by county, district, and grade level; and home school enrollments by grade and gender. The report contains the texts of the Arkansas Code Annotated Section 6-15-501 through Section 6-15-508 Home School…

It was hypothesized that providing appraisal data to students would influence their knowledge of abilities, and thereby facilitate achievement test performance. The teacher would also have a greater awareness of student talents and would facilitate student performance on tests. The sample consisted of a random sampling of seventh grade students.…

Discusses the situation in Florida where districts must report the results of program evaluations made by the state department of education and gives suggestions for the way in which these scores should be made public. (IRT)

Studied the effects of overlapping some test items across consecutive test levels by using overlapping and nonoverlapping items with 834 prematched and 782 matched elementary school students and focusing on whether there is an effect on achievement test scores due to item familiarization. No effects were detected. (SLD)

This paper presents the Final Report on the Audio-Digital MCAS Pilot Program. The Department and Recording For the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D) have collaborated to provide audio-digital read-aloud editions of the Grade 10 English Language Arts and Mathematics MCAS tests for a small number of students with disabilities such as dyslexia and/or…

In late January through early March of 2003, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) grade 4 and 8 reading and mathematics assessments were administered to representative samples of students in approximately 100 public schools in each state. The results of these assessments were announced in November 2003. Each state also carried…

The results of an investigation of the evidences, causes, and consequences of the decline of achievement test scores are discussed. First, data from ten different standardized achievement test batteries were reviewed to determine whether or not achievement test scores actually have been declining since the mid sixties. Second, changes in the…

Two validity studies were made of the Peabody Individual Achievement Test (PIAT) with 152 learning disabled and 115 non-learning disabled children (ages from 7 to 10 years). In the first study, Ss' scores on the PIAT, California Achievement Test (CAT), and the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) were correlated; in the second study scores on the…

Two predictions related to educational performance are examined in this experiment: (1) Competitive treatments increase classroom performance and interest on a power test; and (2) game-like competition is as effective as reward competition in increasing classroom performance and interest on a power test. 1,035 fifth and sixth graders from 36…

Standardized tests are devised to sort students out, comparing them on a scale from high to low, not to discover what students know. Thus, results of standardized tests are misleading in representing the achievements of educational programs and in comparing one school or school system with another. Criterion tests, however, measure directly and…

A survey test in arithmetic consisting of two separately administered parts (see TM 000 967 and TM 000 968) was given to pupils in Grade 4 of the Vancouver School System. Test content included a computation section (Part I) and a concept section (Part II). A summary of test results is presented in three tables. (CK)

Part I of the arithmetic survey (see TM 000 966) administered to fourth grade Vancouver students consists of 30 computational items. The time limit for this section is 30 minutes. See also TM 000 968 for Part II of the survey. (CK)

Part II of the arithmetic survey (see TM 000 966) administered to fourth grade Vancouver students consists of 32 items dealing with arithmetical concepts. The limit for this section is 30 minutes. See also TM 000 967 for Part I of the survey. (CK)

The relationship between conservation and achievement is examined on specific tests and test items on the Stanford Achievement Test Battery used in the elementary years. Specifically, performance on two tests (Word Meaning and Arithmetic Concepts) were analyzed according to subjects level of thinking (concrete or formal) for total score,…

Hypotheses for the decline in the Scholastic Aptitude Test scores can be listed under four headings: changes in society, changes in the schools, changes in the testing population, and problems with the tests. However, it is concluded that SAT scores are still constant and reliable measures. (JY)