The purpose of the study reported upon in this paper was to determine what graduates of a teacher education program designed to prepare teachers who will work toward goals of equity and social justice were encountering in their schools and how they felt they were doing with regard to these aims and why. Eleven graduates in their second, fourth or…

This paper reports on a qualitative study that examined English as a second language (ESL) teachers' perceptions of classroom-based reading assessments. ESL teachers' use of classroom-based reading assessments, their understanding about the function and effectiveness of this assessment method, and the factors influencing this assessment process…

This document presents data on Wisconsin school performance for 1993-94. Data were derived from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), private firms that administer assessments, and Wisconsin's 427 public school districts and the state schools for the deaf and visually handicapped. The report includes introductory material,…

This report examines three sets of standards developed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and provides recommendations for curriculum, teaching, and assessment of students showing mathematical talent. Specific recommendations are suggested for programs, teaching strategies, resources, and alternative means of evaluation…

With the education reform movement came dissonance over testing as an indicator of classroom learning. This paper examines both formal and informal assessment and relates one institution's attempt to provide a bridge between authentic and traditional assessment. Authentic assessment is defined as a belief that student evaluation should measure…

Authentic evaluation of educational achievement directly measures actual performance in the subject area. Standardized multiple-choice tests, on the other hand, measure test-taking skills directly, and everything else indirectly or not at all. Also called performance assessment, appropriate assessment, alternative assessment, or direct assessment,…

The ways in which data on performance on public examinations could be used as educational performance indicators were studied, focusing on the standard tables developed for the Scottish Office Education Department (SOED). These tables are available for every secondary school in Scotland. Further refinements to follow the planned release of the…

Celebrating the Illinois Reading Council's 25th anniversary year, this 2-part monograph presents 11 papers on diverse aspects of reading and literacy. Papers in the first part, called "Historical Reflections and Challenges," are: "The Illinois Reading Council Celebrates 25 Years" (John W. Logan); "The 'Illinois Reading…

For many people, school reform means taking the responsibility for goal setting away from teachers and assessing common student accomplishments, but the costs and benefits of this accountability strategy have not been determined. The difference between the aims of education represented by test scores, and those represented by the activities of the…

This report presents the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) performance results to state officials and the public as required by state law. Compiled in two volumes, TAAS results are aggregated and reported for the state as a whole, for education service centers and individual districts, and in district demographic groupings. This volume…

American Indian students generally have not done well on traditional standardized tests. Such tests have been criticized because their ability to predict academic success is questionable, and they correlate with socioeconomic class, reward superficial learning, encourage classroom practices that fail to provide high-quality education, and are…

The EXCELS! Project of the Anchorage School District (Alaska) was initiated in 1994 through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education to demonstrate the development of a kindergarten through sixth grade instructional program reflecting state and national standards in History, Civics, Geography, and English. More than 1,200 Anchorage teachers…

Issues surrounding educational assessment in Australia's Northern Territory are discussed. It is possible that the real issue is not an actual decline in educational standards, but instead, a decrease in public confidence in educational practice. Global patterns in educational testing and the assessment systems of the United States, the British…

Designed to assess the success of social studies instruction for grade 4 students in Manitoba, Canada, this test evaluation instrument contains a manual, scoring key and test. Administered to determine whether students learned important ideas and skills in social studies instruction, the results of the test will be used to improve social studies…

Designed to assess the success of social studies instruction for students in grade 10 in Manitoba, Canada, this test evaluation instrument contains a manual, a scoring key, and a test. Administered to determine whether students learned important ideas and skills in social studies instruction, the results of the testing will be used to improve…