As the country began to debate the proposition that the United States adopt a national examination system, it became apparent that information was needed about the present extent and cost of testing, as well as the estimated cost of a national examination system. In the fall of 1991, the General Accounting Office (GAO) surveyed testing officials…

A detailed description is presented of the types, functions, performance levels, governance, administration, and funding of public examinations in 14 Sub-Saharan African countries with different educational traditions, based on English, French, or other backgrounds. The countries are: (1) Kenya; (2) Lesotho; (3) Mauritius; (4) Swaziland; (5)…

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students in the United States know and can do in various academic subjects. The 1996 NAEP in mathematics assessed the current level of mathematical achievement as a mechanism for informing education reform. In 1996, 44…

The movement to develop national standards in education stems from the nation's continuing effort to identify the outcomes sought in schooling. The sources of the impetus for standards are disappointment with U.S. performance in international assessments, the participation of public leaders and educators in school reform, and the example created…

University admission requirements and achievement levels at the time of secondary school graduation are compared for five countries: the United States, the Soviet Union, France, Japan, and West Germany. Emphasis is placed upon the structural and cultural differences in the educational systems of these countries. In addition to college admission…

This paper presents the legal rationale for using the National Teacher's Examination (NTE) validation procedure, which was used in Arkansas to determine cut-off scores for teacher certification. A review is given of the decision, by the United States Supreme Court, upholding use of the NTE by South Carolina in that state's teacher certification…

This report, the fifth in a series assessing educational quality in Utah public schools, focuses on students' achievements and provides performance measures based on statewide results of various testing programs and special studies. The report presents three types of data relevant to major state board of education programs (such as Utah…

The relationship between declining scores on national standardized tests and grade inflation is explored. Grade inflation refers to the indicated measure of evaluation of student performance having higher placement than is usual based on the performances. Data for this study were taken from the American College Testing (ACT) Program Class Profile…

This test manual presents the full results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) survey of 1,300 17-year-old students on performance in five major basic life skills: (1) personal finance and consumer protection; (2) health maintenance; (3) interpersonal competence; (4) family responsibility; and (5) career development. In…

"The Politics and Process of Evaluation and Decision Making in the Schools: The Shawnee Mission, Kansas, Experience" and "Use of National Assessment Model for Classroom Evaluation" were two papers presented at the Regional Conference of the National Council for the Social Studies. The first paper concerned the development of an…

Despite remarkable progress in education, China and India still face problems of massive illiteracy; lack of universal access to education; a hierarchical, elitist, examination-oriented system unrelated to economic needs and productive labor; a large number of unemployed school leavers; and dependence on foreign models, particularly at the higher…

Title I programs focus on improving the academic achievement of the disadvantaged. This document is the sixth in a series designed to provide: (1) consistent, reliable indicators to allow analysis of trends for each state over time; (2) high data quality for comparability from state to state; and (3) accessible indicator formats. The state…

Different forms of accommodation have been suggested in the assessment of English language learners (ELL). This study examined the effectiveness of a few accommodation strategies on the performance of ELL students in mathematics. A group of 946 eighth graders participated in this study. Using mathematics test items from the National Assessment of…

Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), standardized test scores are the indicator used to hold schools and school districts accountable for student achievement. Each state is responsible for constructing an accountability system, attaching consequences--or stakes--for student performance. The theory of action implied by this…

Critiques the Bush Administration's "America 2000" education initiative, in particular the call for national testing as a major tool for student assessment and education reform. Discusses the difficulty of designing accurate instruments, the drain on resources for other needs, and the ineffectiveness of testing as an agent for reform.…