Teacher self-efficacy, the belief teachers have that they can make a difference for their students or have a positive impact on their students' academic careers, has been studied for years. Very little is known about teacher self-efficacy in school librarians, however. The following study examined the difference in school librarians' teacher…

The main focus of this study was to investigate if, or to what extent, there is a significant relationship between high school science course sequencing and proficiency on 11th grade Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) Science. The Florida Legislature mandated a specific number of sciences as a requirement for graduation. High schools…

Previous research has demonstrated a correlation between student demographic factors and standardized test scores in Florida. The researcher examined the impact teacher beliefs and instructional practices had on students' performance on Florida Comprehensive Reading Assessment Test in 10th grade. Teachers at four schools with a majority of at-risk…

The purpose of this study was to determine the impact block scheduling has on (a) student academic achievement, discipline, and attendance, and (b) administrator, teacher, and student perceptions. The study compared 2005-2010 data from a high school utilizing the A/B block schedule and a high school under a traditional schedule, in one suburban…

The results of the assessment of the emotional intelligence of public school principals, the results of a school quality survey, and students' standardized reading and mathematics test scores from public elementary, middle, and high schools in Hawaii provided the data for determining if there is a relationship between the emotional intelligence of…

Indicates that standardized reading tests vary widely in terms of the number of skills measured and in terms of the relative emphasis on each skill in studies done at the high school level. (RB)

This document presents a sample test form for high school reading and comprehension proficiency. The first section of the exam consists of 27 questions taken from 7 selections, which included 4 literature and poetry selections and the following nonfiction titles: Procedures for Answering a Call, Just the Facts, Garlic, and Pot Roast with…

Strategy use and its impact on standardized reading test performance were studied with 128 high school students. Students in a standardized test condition used more strategies than those asked merely to identify main ideas. Thinking aloud had detrimental effects on ability to identify main ideas. (SLD)

High school students trained in test-taking skills performed markedly higher on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test than did controls. On two subtests, vocabulary and comprehension, controls scored significantly lower than the experimental group. A relationship was noted between parental help with test-taking preparation and level of test performance.…

This paper describes New Jersey's High School Proficiency Test (HPST) in reading, one of three tests given to all 11th graders as a state graduation requirement. Each reading passage represents one of four test types (narrative, informational, persuasive/argumentative, and workplace). Each passage is followed by multiple-choice items and at least…

This study assessed the influence of test anxiety and self-concept, both independently and in combination, on student test performance across four subject matter areas: (1) English; (2) mathematics; (3) reading; and (4) science. Public high school students (N=217) in northern Oklahoma were administered an American College Testing Program (ACT)…

Investigates whether standardized tests measure the same comprehension construct as free recall assessment techniques. (FL)

This administrator's summary describes the Tests of Achievement and Proficiency (TAP). The TAP battery is designed to provide information about the strengths and weaknesses of the instructional program and about skills performance of individual students in grades 9 through 12. The TAP may be administered at the year's beginning, middle, or end;…

A major provision of the South Carolina Education Improvement Act of 1984 established the requirement for a high school exit examination (HSEE) for all 10th-grade students. Passage of the HSEE is a condition for the receipt of a state high school diploma. The HSEE is an outgrowth of the South Carolina Basic Skills Assessment Program, which…

Steps involved in the item analysis and scaling of the 1990 edition of Forms A and B of the Nevada High School Proficiency Examinations (NHSPEs) are described. Pilot tests of Forms A and B of the 47-item reading and 45-item mathematics tests were each administered to random samples of more than 600 eleventh-grade students. A computer program was…