The present study was initiated to gather information about states' out-of-level testing practices. Specifically, we wanted to see whether states attempted to align out-of-level tests with grade of enrollment content standards, what processes are used to complete this task, and what psychometric information states offer as evidence of that…

A project evaluated the quality assurance (QA) processes put in place by the English National Board from 1998. The Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) represented a shift of emphasis in audit activity from approval/validation of programs to continuous annual monitoring and review. The evaluation used a mixture of methods, including survey and case…

This paper presents the results of a search for an appropriate test of critical thinking to screen college freshmen. The search for an appropriate test of critical thinking was initiated in the Fall 1995 semester at an open-admissions comprehensive university, which normally assigns entering freshmen with ACT composite scores of 17 or less to…

This paper reports on the findings of a longitudinal study that investigated the trends in reading growth for 49 elementary students with severe reading difficulties. The students received special education services in a large Midwestern city in which curriculum-based measurement (CBM) procedures were implemented fully. The study began when the…

This book is a practical guide for assessing the intended learning outcomes of classroom instruction. It is based on the premise that assessment of student achievement plays a vital role in instruction and that the main goal of assessment is to improve learning. The new title of this sixth edition reflects a shift from major concern with classroom…

Two research projects focused on use of casual markers (graders) for correcting and grading distance education (DE) students' work. A Charles Sturt University project convened focus groups of DE students, casual DE markers, and lecturers who "managed" markers to uncover concerns. University of South Australia research focused on pedagogical issues…

Noting that the last 40 years have witnessed an enormous increase in the number of psychological tests designed for the assessment of competencies in very young children, this review summarizes the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of psychological tests and other assessment instruments used to evaluate the cognitive functioning of…

This technical manual describes "The Arc's Self Determination Scale," a student self-report measure of self-determination designed for use by adolescents with disabilities, particularly students with mild mental retardation and learning disabilities. The test was designed to be a tool to enable students to become more self-determined by…

Multicultural perspectives on assessment challenge traditional perspectives by advancing an additional source of variation in test responses that is presumed to escape test developers and test users. Increasing and convergent evidence from multiple sources indicates the following types of ethnocentric errors in test development, administration,…

This issue contains eight articles that represent information on a variety of highly specialized topics involving communicative sciences. Articles include: (1) "The Reliability of the Kay Elemetrics Multidimensional Voice Program (MDVP) for Acoustic Analysis of the Normal Voice" (Ann Marie Cimino and Christine M. Sapienza), which focuses on the…

This study examined the reliability and validity of a group-assessment interview procedure designed to evaluate the verbal, interpersonal, and leadership qualities of students applying to a teacher education program. The group assessment procedure involved a 90-minute session with eight students in which three dimensions of teacher behavior were…

When selecting standardized reading tests for purposes of decision making, the school psychologist must answer several questions, such as "What reading skills do I wish to assess?" or "How do I judge if the test is technically adequate?" Recommendations for test selection are made within the context of these questions.…

The validity and use of the Differential Diagnosis-Prescriptive Teaching Model in special education is challenged. A review of research related to six assumptions underlying the model is presented. It is concluded that children do not appear to benefit from current applications of this instructional method. (MH)

Summarizes an experiment that expanded the types of variables and approaches used in statistical analyses of subject attainment in secondary education. The experiment compared students' grades in a given subject with their expected grades based on performance in other subjects. Considers applications and limitations to this approach. (MJP)

Reviews "C-testing" in theory and practice and discusses its application in baseline and progress testing of the English of postgraduate students of engineering, technology, and management attending pre-master's programs in Bangkok, Thailand. A problem related to the reliability of pre-and post-course testing arose and the tests were…