Assessment practices used in elementary school classrooms in British Columbia (Canada) were explored through a survey that also considered the perspectives of the people directly affected by assessment: students, parents, teachers, and administrators. Data were collected through focus group interviews with each of the 4 respondent groups from 10…

Results of the second administration of the New Jersey Minimum Basic Skills (MBS) Tests in reading and mathematics are reported for students in grades 3, 6, 9, and 11. The reading tests are organized according to clusters of items: (1) word recognition; (2) comprehension; and (3) study skills. The mathematics tests are also organized into…

National Assessment, a systematic survey of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, provides educators and the public with information on student achievement. The data-gathering model for the Assessment has yielded differences of various groups' performances in the area of political knowledge. These results seem to imply that the academic approach to…

This report, submitted to the U.S. Department of Education, contains summary details of Delaware students' growth in the areas of reading, mathematics, writing, science and social studies. The results reported herein are part of a long-term effort to gather data on Delaware students' educational progress and use the data to inform decisions about…

The major challenge that school districts face is to improve the learning of all students, not just in individual schools, but across the entire system of schools. Duval County, Florida has embarked on a remarkable journey to implement standards-based reform in schools throughout the district with the intent to systematically improve teaching and…

This paper is the eighth in a series of reports designed to provide (1) consistent, reliable indicators to allow analysis of trends for each state over time, (2) high data quality for comparability from state to state, and (3) accessible indicator formats aimed toward facilitating use by a variety of audiences. Since its inception, the report has…

This booklet reports on the 1994 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in geography for 4th, 8th, and 12th grade students, a test given for the first time to establish baseline data for measuring student progress in geography well into the future. The booklet contains the following sections: (1) Why We Assess Geography; (2) The 1994…

This booklet reports on the 1994 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in U.S. History for 4th, 8th, and 12th grade students. The booklet contains the following sections: (1) Why We Assess History; (2) Preparing the 1994 NAEP U.S. History Assessment; (3) What is NAEP? (4) Creating a Framework for the U.S. History Assessment, with What…

This report, the fifth in a series assessing educational quality in Utah public schools, focuses on students' achievements and provides performance measures based on statewide results of various testing programs and special studies. The report presents three types of data relevant to major state board of education programs (such as Utah…

This report contains a tabular summary of the results of the April 1974 city-wide reading test administered in Grades 2 through 9 in all New York City public schools. Test results are presented at three levels for comparative analysis: New York City with other major cities, community school districts within N.Y.C., and community schools within…

The National Assessment, a census-like study to collect information concerning the educational attainment of Americans, is being adapted in many states with the results of the adaptations being used for decision making by state agencies or by teachers and administrators. The characteristics of the adaptations follow patterns related to this…

This report presents a formative evaluation of the East Environmental Science Magnet High School in the Kansas City School District, Missouri. It presents data collected throughout the program's first year, including student demographics; program implementation information; achievement data; and perceptions of staff, parents, and students. An…

This report presents a summative evaluation of the first 3 years of the program of Knotts Environmental Science School in the Kansas City School District, Missouri. The school, which serves students in kindergarten through grade 5, began operation in 1988. The report focuses on the enrollment goals; the implementation of the program; the 1990-91…

This report presents a formative evaluation of the first year's program of Trailwoods Environmental Science School, a magnet elementary school in the Kansas City School District in Missouri. The school serves students in grades kindergarten through grade 5 and began operation in the fall of 1990. The report focuses on the implementation of the…

Educational Assessment is at the cornerstone of education in the 1990s. Advocates for alternative assessment believe that the new tasks should be redesigned to more closely resemble real learning tasks. Portfolio assessment encourages an integration between assessment and instruction and results in several positive educational outcomes. Portfolios…