In most large-scale assessments of student achievement, several broad content domains are tested. Because more items are needed to cover the content domains than can be presented in the limited testing time to each individual student, multiple test forms or booklets are utilized to distribute the items to the students. The construction of an…

The purpose of this document is to provide background information that will be useful in interpreting the 2007 results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) by comparing its design, features, framework, and items with those of the U.S. National Assessment of Educational Progress and another international assessment…

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) provides this booklet to help in preparing for the Prairie State Achievement Examination (PSAE). Part I of this booklet is an overview that answers some basic questions about the PSAE: What is it? What will it cover? When will it be given? Part II is a preparation guide for the five tests that are…

Describes the Texas test development process in detail, showing how each test development step is linked to the "Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing." The routine use of this process provides evidence of the content and curricular validity of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills. (SLD)

End-of-course examinations are only as good as the assumptions used in designing them. What is a course's "essential" content? And what does it mean to master it? The end-of-course examinations developed by ACT are derived from assumptions that offer unique and challenging answers to these questions. This brief explains the process used to develop…

Describes the formal oral and written exams taken by high school seniors in Hungary, the taking of the exams, and grading. (SR)

Proposes a system of achievement testing for all U.S. students rather than just those who are college bound. Criticizes present achievement testing as a patchwork system that fails to provide parents with information about how much their children are learning in comparison to others. Provides a sampling of national achievement test questions from…

Lists comprehensive guides, catalogs, and printed and online databases for use by individuals who do not have an extensive background in tests and measurement. The guides provide lists of tests for specific subject areas, grade levels, and purposes. The article includes availability information for resources. (SM)

This paper presents six steps in test construction generally recommended by measurement textbook authors. The focus is primarily on paper-and-pencil achievement tests as used by class instructions, although the discussion touches on the construction of other types of assessment. The six steps are: (1) determine the test purpose; (2) determine the…

This report examines the overlap between student test results on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) and the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). The two tests were compared and contrasted in terms of content and measurement philosophy, and analyses studied the statistical relationship between the ITBS and the WASL. The ITBS assesses…

Concerns about norm-referenced achievement tests involve (1) the purposes of the tests (comparability of results); (2) the content of the tests; (3) psychometric screening of test items; (4) the form of tests items; (5) the interpretation of summary scores; and (6) the construct validity of the tests. Offers guidelines for use of norm-referenced…

Gender differences on the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 science tests were explored through statistical analyses and interviews with 25 high school students. Results show the importance of studying the validity of the outcome measure and suggest that conclusions about group differences and correlates of achievement depend on the…

Failure to include nonnative English speaking students in a testing program, something that is especially important in a state where a high school graduation test is administered, can cost students the opportunity to practice for the test, as well as the opportunity for diagnosis of educational attainment and feedback about their progress. For…

The quality and the effectiveness of the 1992 New Jersey Grade 8 Early Warning Test (NJEWT) are assessed. Standardized tests possess clear advantages for educators, especially in the case of administration and scoring, but there are clear disadvantages as well, including the possibility of bias. Four criteria are applied to the NJEWT: adequacy,…

Test publishers have promoted their commercially available, norm-referenced achievement tests as viable solutions to assessment challenges faced by states. They argue that their tests are developed professionally, and, therefore, possess sound psychometric properties not often found in state-specific efforts. This study compared judgments from two…