Test-based accountability (TBA) draws on a managerialist ideology that emphasises standards, constant measurement, and external motivation for improvement. It stands in sharp contrast to the idea of professional learning communities (PLCs) that aim to mobilise teachers' internal motivation and willingness to cooperate with peers to facilitate a…

In many countries, standardized math tests are important for achieving academic success. Here, we examine whether content of items, the story that explains a mathematical question, biases performance of low-SES students. In a large-scale cohort study of Trends in International Mathematics and Science Studies (TIMSS)--including data from 58…

A January 2024 survey found that 72 percent of parents had considered a new school for their children in the past year. And in 2025, Texas and Tennessee are poised to become the next states to enact education savings account (ESA) programs, potentially giving millions more students the education options that their parents want for them. As a…

This review aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of standardized instruments that are used to measure pragmatic intervention effects in children with developmental language disorder. Following PRISMA structure, a comprehensive literature research was conducted in five electronic indexing databases: Central, PubMed, Medline, Web of Science…

Over recent decades, a great amount of attention has been globally directed to school achievement evidenced by large-scale assessment programmes. Additionally, there has been an increase in expectations regarding teachers' use of data. Against this backdrop, there arose a clear demand for assessment-literate teachers, mapping out the changes that…

This study reports the results of a national survey of the types and uses of assessments for matriculating secondary students into college Chinese language programs. In addition to providing an overview of college placement procedures obtained from 35 college Chinese programs, the survey also probed into the rationales behind the varied placement…

The global pandemic left many schools across the country content with low expectations regarding student achievement (Gross & Opalka, 2020). It seemed as though learning loss and academic struggles would become the norm for students throughout the country, particularly in mathematics. Though few states could maintain or improve math…

In recent years, there has been a shift back toward standardized assessment scores as an accountability metric for school districts from state policy makers. In response, Standards Based Grading has become a popular reform among school districts as a means to provide a greater predictability of student outcomes on standardized assessments.…

Despite a call for evidence-based practice in school psychology, limited research on the topic of evidence-based assessment exists. To begin to address this gap in the research, a modified version of Jenson-Doss and Hawley's (2010) Attitudes Toward Standardized Assessment (ASA) scale was administered to 371 U.S. school psychologists. Examination…

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) was one of many universities that adopted a test-optional admissions policy for the Fall 2021 incoming cohort. However, unlike many institutions that went to test-optional admissions out of necessity, the decision made by IUPUI faculty and administration was thoroughly considered, data…

The expansion of student opportunity through the flexible spending of Education Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) builds in direct accountability to the parents who choose and hold the power of the purse. Families can select different schools and service providers if they are dissatisfied with how their student is faring. But ESAs can also be designed…

This study investigates the influence of Explicit Instruction (EI) on the mathematics achievement of students attending Belmont Middle School (BMS). There is an urgent need for schools to evaluate the instructional strategies they have been adopting to identify whether they have any significant impact on students' mathematics performance. With the…

Under test-based accountability, side-effects--including practices to inflate test results, often seen as cheating--are usually associated to so-called high-stakes policies. However, the influence of different types of stakes in the generation of this type of practices has been overlooked in education research. Based on a survey experiment, our…

Project based learning (PBL), a well-known pedagogical approach, is becoming more widely recognized for creating and sustaining student engagement and motivation in 21st-century learning while improving academic achievement. Teachers support this hands-on, collaborative approach and see it as beneficial for students of all learning modalities, but…

The purpose of educational assessments is to provide an academic check-up and to give educators and parents meaningful information on what students know and can do, and how well they are progressing toward college and career readiness. Assessments strive to show how well students perform on clearly defined standards and skills that are being…