In recent decades testing has become a much more visible and high-stakes accountability mechanism that is now seen as a powerful tool that can be used to drive school improvement. The purpose of this book is to identify and analyze the key issues associated with test-based educational accountability and to chart the future of educational accountability research. Chapter contributions are intended to be forward looking rather than a compendium of what has happened in the past. The book prov...

Over the course of ten years, this extensive qualitative study focused on the academic resilience phenomenon. The research delves into the educational resilience experiences of fifty low socioeconomic students of color from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds. In addition to chronicling specific protective factors and processes active in the students' lives, several symbiotic relationships between groups of protective factors are documented and explored. A Resilience Cycle ...

The subject of accountability warrants thoughtful and dispassionate attention in today's educational environment. The accountability and school reform policies that are put in place today will have wide-ranging and long-lasting consequences for all of the nation's learners. This volume stems from the 2003 Educational Testing Service Invitational Co

Educational Change: From Traditional Education to Learning Communities outlines the transition of curriculum and instruction as well as classroom discipline historically. Various discipline approaches are described that vary in their applications in terms of the degree of teacher control and student self-direction. Various issues are identified which impact decorum in the schools, in particular the No Child Left Behind Act and associated standardized testing. The need for change i...

An in-depth look at academically selective public high schools in AmericaWhat is the best education for exceptionally able and high-achieving youngsters? Can the United States strengthen its future intellectual leadership, economic vitality, and scientific prowess without sacrificing equal opportunity? There are no easy answers but, as Chester Finn and Jessica Hockett show, for more than 100,000 students each year, the solution is to enroll in an academically selec...

There are dozens of myths surrounding educational reform today, maintaining the school’s role in economic competitiveness, the deficiency of teachers, the benefits of increased testing, and the worthiness of privatization. In this volume, the editors argue that this discussion has been co-opted to reflect the values and worldviews of special interest groups such as elites in power, politicians, corporate educational foundations, and the media. Prominent educational writers tackle contempor...

jMetrik is a computer program for implementing classical and modern psychometric methods. It is designed to facilitate work in a production environment and to make advanced psychometric procedures accessible to every measurement practitioner**.** Applied Measurement with jMetrik reviews psychometric theory and describes how to use jMetrik to conduct a comprehensive psychometric analysis. Each chapter focuses on a topic in measurement, describes the steps for using jMetrik, and provides one...

This book presents innovative approaches and state-of-the-art empirical studies on mathematics teacher learning. It highlights the advantages and challenges of such tools as classroom videos, concept cartoons, simulations, and scenarios. The book details how representations of practice encourage and afford professional development, and describes how these tools help to investigate aspects of teacher expertise, beliefs, and conceptions. In addition, the book identifies the methodological ch...

A comprehensive resource for assessment practitioners, this book provides step-by-step guidance for developing, administering, scoring, and validating a range of performance tasks, including literacy and other types of proficiency assessments. The authors explore how to establish the purpose of the assessment and how to develop scoring tools, train raters, reduce rater bias, review scores and report results, and use item-level and test-level analyses to optimize reliability and validity. C...

Preparing Students for College and Careers addresses measurement and research issues related to college and career readiness. Educational reform efforts across the United States have increasingly taken aim at measuring and improving postsecondary readiness. These initiatives include developing new content standards, redesigning assessments and performance levels, legislating new developmental education policy for colleges and universities, and highlighting gaps between graduates’ skills an...

This book reports the results of a research project that investigated assessment methods aimed at supporting and improving inquiry-based approaches in European science, technology and mathematics (STM) education. The findings were used to influence policy makers with guidelines for ensuring that assessment enhances learning.The book provides insights about:- The concept of competence within the STM domains and its relevance for education- The conceptualisation and t...

"This book places students center stage in the discussion of how we know what students know. Using formative assessment to understand student learning is a theme grounded in good teaching and good assessment!"—Jo Topps, Regional DirectorthK–12 Alliance/WestEd"This book incorporates current research and not only provides an explanation of the necessity of formative assessment, but offers a system for planning lessons and a variety of tools to implement for...