Argues that Americans can learn from the wide variety of types of assessment included in French national evaluations, from the way these exams are used formatively on a large scale to plan instruction and professional development (rather than to pass or fail children or to reward or punish teachers), and from the hazards of a single high stakes…

A study of schools in two English local education authorities found that time spent teaching Shakespeare increases in Year 9 now that the National Curriculum mandates testing on Shakespeare. However, restrictions on the choice of plays is limiting teaching methods and diminishing student learning and enjoyment of the subject. (SK)

The article examines the three proposals put forward by the Schools Council for Curriculum and Examination to change the examination structure for school leavers in Great Britain from the perspective of industry and commerce. (MW)

In this article, the author argues that maintaining the SATs regime and all it has done to damage students and teachers represents something unforgivable in the education policy of the government. He contends that a way must be found to rid the schools of SATs and all that they embody, and replace them with something more worthy of students and…

Educational quality reforms are undertaken in hopes that students in a higher quality education system will acquire more of the curriculum. However, the authors argue, there is no necessary connection between investments in educational quality and improved learning outcomes. A national assessment of grade 3 students in Nepal found few differences…

Currently, the United States participates in four international assessments: the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), which assesses reading performance in grade 4; the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), which assesses the reading, mathematics, and science literacy of 15-year-olds; the Trends in International…

The 2016 edition of the "Digest of Education Statistics" is the 52nd in a series of publications initiated in 1962. The "Digest" has been issued annually except for combined editions for the years 1977-78, 1983-84, and 1985-86. Its primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field…

Reports results of literacy tests of 5,500 10-year-old and 5,100 14-year-old students throughout Australia in 1980. Compares these results with those of testing in 1975, pointing out that in reading, overall results were almost identical, while in writing some tasks showed improvement. (JM)

A five-step model for the implementation of competency-based education in Canada is proposed. Emphasis is placed on analyzing the curriculum, establishing where competency checks are most needed, developing policies and actual competency tests, and observing the impacts. (HLM)

Describes a study of gender differences in science achievement in England and Wales. Finds that the most pronounced gender differences in favor of males occurred in the higher-level papers taken by more able students, especially in physics. Also, more discriminating questions exhibited larger gender gaps in favor of males. Contains 21 references.…

Finds variable coverage of Earth Science topics in the United Kingdom among General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) double-award science syllabuses and examination papers. Concludes that the levels of error in the examination papers were high and that Earth Science questions showed lower levels of demand and higher levels of recall than…

Across five continents, operant testing schemes are the assessment equivalent of an English jumble sale. Test types, rationales, preparation times, and scoring practices are equally diverse in Australia, Brazil, Canada, the Czech Republic, England, Germany, Israel, and Japan. Most systems are in flux or under scrutiny. (MLH)

To examine the predictive utility of three scales provided in the released database of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) (international plausible values, standardized percent correct score, and national Rasch score), information was obtained on the performance in state examinations in mathematics and science in 1996…

The officially reported impressive rises in standards in mathematics and English in primary schools since 1995 are challenged. The article looks at the increases from four different perspectives. First, the general pattern of change is considered. Secondly, the statutory test data are compared with the results from several different studies. These…

This report provides international benchmarks to help states see how students are doing in math and science within an international context. It shows how state-by-state results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) can be linked with nation-by-nation results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study…