This booklet interprets and summarizes the results of the Connecticut Statewide Basic Skills Proficiency Test as administered to ninth graders in October, 1986. The test measures basic skills in reading and mathematics, and basic writing skills in the language arts. The test is used to identify students who require further remediation in order to…

The purpose of this paper is to report on the processes followed and the modifications made to the Alabama state minimum competency testing program for exceptional students, as well as to provide results for exceptional students tested through spring 1985. A committee of lay citizens and professional educators identified basic competencies in…

The initial study was based on responses of 103 examinees on an objective classroom test. Results indicated that response changes increased item difficulties as well as biserial and point biserial correlations. Test reliability was not decreased. This implies that not all students benefit from changing initial responses. The personal biserial…

Set against the backdrop of a decade in which college admissions test scores have declined, this report reviews issues affecting college admissions testing and their implications, and focuses specifically on the debate between the makers and supporters of standardized tests and test critics. Overviews of the College Entrance Examination Board's…

This bulletin describes the National Occupational Competency Testing Program, which is designed to give experienced craftsmen objective evidence of their competency in order (1) to obtain academic credit toward a degree, (2) to gain certification as an industrial teacher, or (3) to enroll in an industrial teacher education program. Information is…

This guide presents detailed information concerning the purposes and process of program evaluation, the role of the evaluator, and the development of an evaluation plan or design. Instruction is provided in selecting or developing assessment instruments, collecting and analyzing data, reporting evaluation results and applying the findings. The…

An updated version of Taba's 1966 "Social Studies Inference Test" and "Application of Principles Test" for elementary students is studied. The original tests measured students' abilities to generalize and draw inferences from short paragraphs containing data relevant to social studies. The "Social Studies Inference…

The study reports the results of a survey of 2,292 13-year olds and 2,173 17-year olds, in Connecticut, using a criterion-referenced assessment instrument designed to test 15 content domains (job satisfaction; occupational levels, fields, and emphasis; occupational trends; occupational levels and education; leisure time; job…

Although there is a proliferation of educational programs aimed at improving language, there have been only meager attempts to produce measures for diagnostic and evaluative purposes. The project herein described is an attempt to devise a test that could be used: (1) to identify specific speech deviations of black ghetto students in order that…

This study compares various item option scoring methods with respect to coefficient alpha and a concurrent validity coefficient. The scoring methods under consideration were: (1) formula scoring, (2) a priori scoring, (3) empirical scoring with an internal criterion, and (4) two modifications of formula scoring. The study indicates a clear…

The visible claims of the current accountability movement are examined critically, and an alternative philosophy and a developing system are offered. Areas examined include the psychological implications of accountability philosophies for teaching staff, certain educational measurement problems, and the availability or adequacy of operating…

Specified procedures for evaluating materials during their in-context tryout are presented. These procedures deal with all possible causes of system failures that have been identified in the in-classroom tryout of new materials. Therefore, methods for identifying, controlling, and monitoring all factors that affect academic behavior in the…

The goal of the project was to validate, refine, and develop plans for implementation of a performance-based challenge test in the cognitive and psychomotor aspects of basic clothing construction skills that could be utilized for grades 7-14. An advisory board and a jury panel representing the three instructional levels provided assistance in…

This study examined the impact of students' background characteristics (English language proficiency) on the level of effectiveness of various types of testing accommodations. Data were collected from 946 eighth graders, some of whom were English language learners. Four accommodation strategies were used: (1) modified (simplified) English language…

The Delaware Student Testing Program ties student achievement to the state's content standards that define the knowledge and skills Delaware students need to succeed beyond high school. This report explains the testing program and how to interpret it for administrators and boards of education. Each school receives English language and mathematics…