This book is intended primarily for classroom teachers and other personnel who work directly with teachers in selecting reading readiness tests or achievement tests. The first chapter lists and briefly explains the criteria used by the authors in reviewing the tests included. These criteria are concerned with norms, standardization, objectivity,…

Examines some prominent features of currently available mathematics tests to see how well they serve their claimed ends, and describes tests that are validated against tasks that incorporate the mathematical skills children are interested in and capable of doing. (Author/IRT)

This digest lists guides to non-commercial tests and compilations of such tests to help identify potentially useful non-commercial tests and assessment instruments to measure special characteristics of students. Reliability and validity information is frequently available. The guides reviewed include: (1) "Measures for Psychological…

Noting that the purpose of testing and test validity, reliability, norms, and usefulness should be primary considerations in choosing a reading test, this paper is intended to serve as a guide in test selection. The document provides a checklist for collecting the information necessary for selecting a test, and brief overviews of five reading…

This booklet presents ideas for utilizing standardized reading tests and an informal inventory to determine the reading levels of secondary school students. Comprehensive reviews of the most commonly used standardized tests for high school students and information about their construction, standardization, administration, and use make up the bulk…

A set of guidelines for evaluating criterion-referenced tests is presented. Additionally, 11 sets of extant criterion-referenced tests are evaluated using these guidelines. (JKS)

Provides a cursory comparison of four popular social studies achievement tests, discusses the relationship between the subject matter and the test, and provides examples of new methods of testing that give the teacher and the class tools for summarizing and interpreting what they are learning as they work together. (Author/IRT)

The bulk of this document consists of reviews of over 60 criterion-referenced tests, most of which are used to test elementary or secondary-level achievement in the basic skills. For each test review, the following information is given: description of test, price, field test data, administration, scoring, and other comments. The tests are rated…

This paper reviews the research in the area of achievement tests. The findings indicate: (1) there is little evidence that educational decision makers use the large amount of test data collected; (2) a larger number of tests are being required of students for personal certification; (3) reasons for the lack of application of test results include…

The authors argue that personnel who select standardized achievement tests have been led to believe that the major achievement test batteries differ very little in terms of the topics they test; but that the content covered by these major tests is different, and that such differences have consequences for instructional content. To test this…

This bulletin contains annotated bibliographies of new acquisitions, test announcements received, and new references. Additional information ranges from news concerning the special Head Start Test Collection, and a listing of 1971-1972 testing programs, to test review publications, tests no longer available, new publishers and new addresses, and…

This Resource Notebook is designed to help New Jersey school districts implement the state's Public School Education Act of 1975 which mandates a thorough and efficient (T & E) system of free public schools. The notebook is divided into three parts. Part I, the user's guide, discusses the purpose of data-based decision making, specifically…

Part of the New Canadian Study required the examination of general ability measures. The requisites were that the measure selected be applicable for Grades 5 to 9 and that it could be administered to students with a limited command of English. Included in this report are: (1) a summary of the considerations involved in selecting a general…

This reference resource provides a comprehensive listing of tests, keyed to behavioral and educational objectives of elementary school education. Each test, or when appropriate, a subtest of a test, was evaluated by educators and measurement specialists. Four main criteria were selected for evaluating the tests: measurement validity, examinee…

Based on a review of standardized tests and competency assessment instruments, recommendations are made for identifying and selecting standardized tests to help secondary vocational instructors to develop students' basic skills. Chapter 1 focuses on identifying diagnostic tests of basic skills in reading, mathematics, and communication. It…