In 1992, a study was conducted at Golden West College (California) to determine the predictive validity of the Math Diagnostic Testing Project (MDTP) tests. A total of 1,137 students were tested in-class; 601 took the Algebra Readiness test, 376 took the Elementary Algebra test, and 160 took the Intermediate Algebra test. Two correlation…

Information was sought about three main issues related to voluntary national tests for fourth-grade reading and eighth-grade mathematics: (1) the relationship between the National Assessment Governing Board and the U.S. Department of Education; (2) costs of developing the national voluntary tests and procedures for hiring contractors; and (3)…

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 annual report on education in New York State required by the legislature is presented in two volumes. This volume, the second part, presents individual school district profiles. It is a companion to "New York, the State of Learning: Statewide Profile of the Educational System." Both publications were derived primarily from…

This study, part of a larger longitudinal research project, focused on the relationship between teachers' rankings of their students' literacy achievements, based on informal assessment, and the scores that the students received on a standardized test. Kindergarten students (initial sample of 136) were followed for 3 years. At the end of…

The role that achievement testing plays in the educational system of Trinidad and Tobago and results from the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) tests administered in 1989 are discussed (for these tests, students generally sit for five to eight examinations on subjects they have taken throughout their secondary schooling). The educational system…

This report contains preliminary results from the 1992 mathematics assessment by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) of nationally representative samples of about 26,000 4th, 8th and 12th grade students in 1,500 public schools and private schools in 44 states; and compares data to findings from the 1990 NAEP mathematics tests.…

The second International Assessment of Educational Progress focused on the mathematics and science achievement of 13-year-olds. Performance assessments were used as part of the overall assessment in four countries (England, Scotland, Soviet Union, and Taiwan) and five Canadian provinces. The performance assessment approach drew heavily on the…

The 1992-93 school year was the second year of the implementation of the Vermont assessment program. Evaluation of the 1991-92 year yielded mixed results, with some evidence that the assessment program was having a strong impact on instruction, but other indications that the reliability of the portfolio scoring in both writing and mathematics was…

The Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) is a statewide program designed to ensure that all students attending public colleges and universities have the basic reading, mathematics, and writing skills necessary to perform effectively at the college level. All entering first-time freshmen are required to take the TASP test, which has a basic skills…

The statewide student assessment programs of the 15 member states of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) in the 1987-88 school year are described. Individual summaries of the testing programs provide information on the types of tests used in the SREB states--Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi,…

Local Education Agencies in New York State initiated measurement plans that collected reading and mathematics achievement data via criterion-referenced measures during fiscal 1974-75. These measures permitted districts to detect the areas of deficiencies and the approximate instructional levels where Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I…

This study was undertaken to explore the issues involved in test-based-funding (TBF)--the concept that extra resources should be allocated to states or school districts on behalf of pupils with low test scores. The data for the study come from literature bearing on the concept, from documents in three states (Michigan, California, and New York)…

Comparisons of students' educational performances are usually based on test and examination results. However, for such comparisons to be valid, it is suggested that evaluations must be made on some common basis since many educational and employment decisions are based on these evaluations. Standardized tests, often used when comparisons are to be…

This newsletter introduces the 1994 NAEP U.S. history assessment, which tested a representative sample of 22,000 4th-, 8th-, and 12th-grade students across the United States. This issue presents a context for understanding the U.S. history assessment. The newsletter is divided into the following sections: (1) "The NAEP U.S. History…