Results from the various student testing programs of the Austin (Texas) Independent School District (AISD) are summarized for 1991-92. Some 23,000 students in grades 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 took the criterion-referenced Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) in October of 1991. The Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS), required…

The validity of assumptions that portfolios complement other assessment methods and yield more reliable and valid data than do traditional methods was studied. More specifically, focus was on examining whether: achievement level (characterized by scores, ranks, and group membership) varies significantly with differing definitions and usage of…

At the root of the performance assessment movement is fairly widespread dissatisfaction with high-stakes multiple-choice tests. Many critics of multiple-choice tests argue that to improve instruction, tests themselves will have to improve. Hundreds of schools around the country are already experimenting with performance assessments, and many…

The contents of the Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) of 76 students with mild disabilities in grades 4 and 8 were compared to nationally and locally defined standards for mathematics. The contents of the National Assessment of Educational Progress proficiency levels, local standards, and IEPs were categorized using a taxonomy with the…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students in the United States know and can do in various academic subjects. The 1996 NAEP in mathematics assessed the current level of mathematical achievement as a mechanism for informing education reform. In 1996, 44…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students in the United States know and can do in various academic subjects. The 1996 NAEP in mathematics assessed the current level of mathematical achievement as a mechanism for informing education reform. In 1996, 44…

In response to a legislative requirement, Redlands Community College (RCC) initiated a requirement in 1991 for students to take the Assessment of Skills for Successful Entry and Transfer (ASSET) test. The only exemptions were for those students enrolling in fewer than 6 hours of classes and not taking either English Composition or a college-level…

Educational testing is at a decisive moment, as the issue of standardized testing has become one of the most hotly debated education issues of the decade. The accuracy and relevance of standardized tests have been questioned by many researchers, evidenced in the 20-year report of the National Assessment of Educational Progress. There is general…

The European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP) commissioned 12 experts in the vocational training (VT) systems of the individual member states of the European Community (EC) to develop monographs describing the EC members' VT systems and procedures/systems for certifying vocational qualifications. The 12 national studies…

English and Spanish versions of a guide to testing reform are presented. The guide explains alternatives to standardized testing for educational assessment and shows how these new methods of evaluation will improve education. Standardized tests are used for an increasing number of purposes in the school system, but there is no proof that their use…

This study was conducted to determine whether the symbolic form of achievement test items influences student performance and whether teachers' use of different symbolic forms during instruction influences estimates of student achievement. The analyses conducted to examine these issues used student achievement test data and teacher responses to…

Some of the major findings of CSE's (Center for the Study of Evaluation) Test Use in Schools Project are synthesized and interpreted. The Project incorporated fieldwork and survey techniques to answer questions about the kinds of tests teachers administer in their classrooms, the kinds of information teachers need from tests to make decisions…

This manual offers a model to assist educators in evaluating the music and art programs in elementary and secondary schools. Assessment is conducted by means of teacher observations and interviews with students, parents, and teachers. Rating scales, check lists, questionnaires, and fact sheets are provided for evaluating selected elements in…

The use of computer assisted instruction (CAI) at Indiana University to provide basic grammar review to beginning writing students, and the results of an evaluation of the PLATO system as a learning resource are described. At the time of the evaluation, the CAI curriculum in use was the Language Arts Routing System (LARS). The evaluation involved…

This is a report of pupil performance in Philadelphia schools based upon the February 1975 Philadelphia City-Wide Testing Program involving all pupils in kindergarten through grade 12. School performance distributions show the combined percentages of pupils in each school scoring within various national percentile rank ranges. The performance…