Two attempts to adjust state mean Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores for differential participation rates are examined. Both attempts are rejected, and five rules for performing adjustments are outlined to foster follow-up checks on untested assumptions. National Assessment of Educational Progress state data are determined to be more accurate.…

Fourteen essays on the National Assessment of Educational Progress offer a broad, systematic examination of technical and policy issues in national-level assessments. Topics include reading and mathematics trends, quality control, national achievement trends, state-level implementation and reporting, and federal review panel responses. (TJH)

This document presents data on the student performance of North Carolina students for the year 1994. Section 1 traces the development of school and student accountability measures, outlines the implementation of actions designed to enhance program equity throughout the state, and describes specific program and student performance standards as they…

This paper examines whether the existence of national education goals implies a new federal role in school finance. Disparities across the 50 states in terms of fiscal capacity and tax effort, education spending, and several measures of educational outcomes are analyzed. The next section summarizes a study of variables that predict states with…

In response to instances of violent acts involving children and teens both as victims and perpetrators, the Maine Legislature passed a resolve to study the issue and to identify and describe the extent of the problem among children, teenagers, and young adults in Maine. Results of a survey (n=542) designed to: (1) ascertain the perceptions of…

This publication provides a reference for educators and others interested in conducting comparative studies relative to North Carolina tests. It includes norms, tables, and other statistical information for all state-developed tests (state-mandated and local-option tests for which baseline data are available) that were administered during the…

Findings of a study that examined middle-level school practices and the educational needs of Illinois youth aged 10-14 are presented in this report. A questionnaire mailed to all junior high/middle schools (576 schools) and K-8 schools in Illinois (705 schools) elicited response rates of 75 and 42 percent, respectively, or a total of 774 usable…

The progress of Iowa public elementary and secondary schools and community colleges made in 1992 toward the National Education Goals is described in this report. The first section describes selected initiatives designed to reach major goals of the state's strategic educational plan: increasing student achievement; transforming the education…

The usefulness of state-by-state comparisons and other educational indicators is discussed in this paper, which seeks to improve report writing and data presentation skills. The first part offers an example of a policy report that uses key education indicators to describe the Arizona education system. Tables and data interpretation describe the…

In a study of 2,546 Georgia children, researchers have established state norms for 8 measures of physical fitness at 3 grade levels. Motor test score percentile rankings for boys and girls in the second, fourth, and sixth grades are given (in 22 tables) for the following tests: (1) jump and reach; (2) sit ups; (3) shape-o-ball (measuring shape…

American College Testing Program (ACT) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) results are summarized for students in the Albuquerque (New Mexico) Public Schools (APS). Results indicate that for the 1984-85 school year, APS students' scores compare very well with national norms. APS mean ACT scores for the total group are above national averages for…

This report provides general information and statistics about the State of Iowa's children and current children's programs administered by state agencies. Indicating the need for children's programs, the report lists statistical evidence for child abuse, foster care, deaths of children, disabilities and special education, delinquency, substance…

A summary of results of a national survey concerning art education is presented in this document. Part 1 contains the National Art Education Association's goals for quality education and observations from the study. The goals state that: (1) all elementary and secondary schools shall require students to complete a sequential art instruction…

The second in a series, this volume highlights 18 indicators of children's well-being in the 50 states and presents case studies of 5 states' strategies to prevent various problems among the birth to 5-year-old population. Indicators are grouped according to factors that may place young children at risk; these include: (1) mandatory kindergarten…

Describes recent research attempts to draw inferences about the relative standing of the states on the basis of mean SAT scores. This paper identifies five serious errors that call into question the validity of such inferences. Some plausible ways to avoid the errors are described. (Author/LMO)