Committee on Embedding Common Test Items in State and District Assessments's Books

Embedding Questions

The Pursuit of a Common Measure in Uncommon Tests

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on Embedding Common Test Items in State and District Assessments

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Embedding Questions

The Pursuit of a Common Measure in Uncommon Tests

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on Embedding Common Test Items in State and District Assessments

Policy makers are caught between two powerful forces in relation to testing in America's schools. One is increased interest on the part of educators, reinforced by federal requirements, in developing tests that accurately reflect local educational standards and goals. The other is a strong push to gather information about the performance of students and schools relative to national and international standards and norms. The difficulty of achieving these two goals simultaneously is exacerbated by both the long-standing American tradition of local control of education and the growing public sentiment that students already take enough tests. Finding a solution to this dilemma has been the focus of numerous debates surrounding the Voluntary National Tests proposed by President Clinton in his 1997 State of the Union address. It was also the topic of a congressionally mandated 1998 National Research Council report (Uncommon Measures: Equivalence and Linkage Among Educational Tests), and was touched upon in a U.S. General Accounting Office report (Student Testing: Issues Related to Voluntary National Mathematics and Reading Tests). More recently, Congress asked the National Research Council to determine the technical feasibility, validity, and reliability of embedding test items from the National Assessment of Educational Progress or other tests in state and district assessments in 4th-grade reading and 8th-grade mathematics for the purpose of developing a valid measure of student achievement within states and districts and in terms of national performance standards or scales. This report is the response to that congressional mandate.

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National Academies Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0309172659

ISBN 13

9780309172653

State Assessment Systems

Exploring Best Practices and Innovations: Summary of Two Workshops

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Center for Education,Committee on Best Practices for State Assessment Systems: Improving Assessment While Revisiting Standards

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State Assessment Systems

Exploring Best Practices and Innovations: Summary of Two Workshops

Educators and policy makers in the United States have relied on tests to measure educational progress for more than 150 years, and have used the results for many purposes. They have tried minimum competency testing; portfolios; multiple-choice items, brief and extended constructed-response items; and more. They have contended with concerns about student privacy, test content, and equity-and they have responded to calls for tests to answer many kinds of questions about public education and literacy, international comparisons, accountability, and even property values. State assessment data have been cited as evidence for claims about many achievements of public education, and the tests have also been blamed for significant failings. States are now considering whether to adopt the "common core" academic standards, and are also competing for federal dollars from the Department of Education's Race to the Top initiative. Both of these activities are intended to help make educational standards clearer and more concise and to set higher standards for students. As standards come under new scrutiny, so, too, do the assessments that measure their results. This book summarizes two workshops convened to collect information and perspectives on assessment in order to help state officials and others as they review current assessment practices and consider improvements.

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156

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National Academies Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0309161762

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9780309161763

Reporting District-Level NAEP Data

Summary of a Workshop

By: National Research Council,Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on NAEP Reporting Practices: Investigating District-Level and Market-Basket Reporting

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Reporting District-Level NAEP Data

Summary of a Workshop

The National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) has earned a reputation as one of the nation's best measures of student achievement in key subject areas. Since its inception in 1969, NAEP has summarized academic performance for the nation as a whole and, beginning in 1990, for the individual states. Increasingly, NAEP results get the attention of the press, the public, and policy makers. With this increasing prominence have come calls for reporting NAEP results below the national and state levels. Some education leaders argue that NAEP can provide important and useful information to local educators and policy makers. They want NAEP to serve as a district-level indicator of educational progress and call for NAEP results to be summarized at the school district level. Reporting District-Level NAEP Data explores with various stakeholders their interest in and perceptions regarding the likely impacts of district level reporting.

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National Academies Press

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ISBN 10

0309183871

ISBN 13

9780309183871

Designing a Market Basket for NAEP

Summary of a Workshop

By: National Research Council,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on NAEP Reporting Practices: Investigating District-Level and Market-Basket Reporting

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Designing a Market Basket for NAEP

Summary of a Workshop

By: National Research Council,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on NAEP Reporting Practices: Investigating District-Level and Market-Basket Reporting

At the request of the U.S. Department of Education, the National Research Council (NRC) established the Committee on NAEP Reporting Practices to examine the feasibility and potential impact of district-level and market-basket reporting practices. As part of its charge, the committee sponsored a workshop in February 2000 to gather information on issues related to market-basket reporting for the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). Designing a Market Basket for NAEP: Summary of a Workshop explores with various stakeholders their interest in and perceptions regarding the desirability, feasibility, and potential impact of market-basket reporting for the NAEP. The market-basket concept is based on the idea that a relatively limited set of items can represent some larger construct. The general idea of a NAEP market basket is based on an image of a collection of test questions representative of some larger content domain and an easily understood index to summarize performance on the items.

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National Academies Press

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0309183839

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9780309183833

NAEP Reporting Practices

Investigating District-Level and Market-Basket Reporting

By: National Research Council,Board on Testing and Assessment,Center for Education,Committee on NAEP Reporting Practices

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NAEP Reporting Practices

Investigating District-Level and Market-Basket Reporting

By: National Research Council,Board on Testing and Assessment,Center for Education,Committee on NAEP Reporting Practices

At the request of the Department of Education, the National Research Council formed the Committee on NAEP Reporting Practices to address questions about the desirability, feasibility, and potential impact of implementing these reporting practices. The committee developed study questions designed to address issues surrounding district-level and market-basket reporting.

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153

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National Academies Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0309073138

ISBN 13

9780309073134

Allocating Federal Funds for State Programs for English Language Learners

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on National Statistics,Panel to Review Alternative Data Sources for the Limited-English Proficiency Allocation Formula Under Title III, Part A, Elementary and Secondary Education Act

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Allocating Federal Funds for State Programs for English Language Learners

As the United States continues to be a nation of immigrants and their children, the nation's school systems face increased enrollments of students whose primary language is not English. With the 2001 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), the allocation of federal funds for programs to assist these students to be proficient in English became formula-based: 80 percent on the basis of the population of children with limited English proficiency1 and 20 percent on the basis of the population of recently immigrated children and youth. Title III of NCLB directs the U.S. Department of Education to allocate funds on the basis of the more accurate of two allowable data sources: the number of students reported to the federal government by each state education agency or data from the American Community Survey (ACS). The department determined that the ACS estimates are more accurate, and since 2005, those data have been basis for the federal distribution of Title III funds. Subsequently, analyses of the two data sources have raised concerns about that decision, especially because the two allowable data sources would allocate quite different amounts to the states. In addition, while shortcomings were noted in the data provided by the states, the ACS estimates were shown to fluctuate between years, causing concern among the states about the unpredictability and unevenness of program funding. In this context, the U.S. Department of Education commissioned the National Research Council to address the accuracy of the estimates from the two data sources and the factors that influence the estimates. The resulting book also considers means of increasing the accuracy of the data sources or alternative data sources that could be used for allocation purposes.

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240

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National Academies Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0309216737

ISBN 13

9780309216739

Best Practices for State Assessment Systems, Part I

Summary of a Workshop

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Best Practices for State Assessment Systems, Part I

Summary of a Workshop

Educators and policy makers in the United States have relied on tests to measure educational progress for more than 150 years. During the twentieth century, technical advances, such as machines for automatic scoring and computer-based scoring and reporting, have supported states in a growing reliance on standardized tests for statewide accountability. State assessment data have been cited as evidence for claims about many achievements of public education, and the tests have also been blamed for significant failings. As standards come under new scrutiny, so, too, do the assessments that measure their results. The goal for this workshop, the first of two, was to collect information and perspectives on assessment that could be of use to state officials and others as they review current assessment practices and consider improvements.

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0309159121

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9780309159128

Implementing Randomized Field Trials in Education

Report of a Workshop

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Center for Education,Committee on Research in Education

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Implementing Randomized Field Trials in Education

Report of a Workshop

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Center for Education,Committee on Research in Education

The central idea of evidence-based education-that education policy and practice ought to be fashioned based on what is known from rigorous research-offers a compelling way to approach reform efforts. Recent federal trends reflect a growing enthusiasm for such change. Most visibly, the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act requires that "scientifically based [education] research" drive the use of federal education funds at the state and local levels. This emphasis is also reflected in a number of government and nongovernment initiatives across the country. As consensus builds around the goals of evidence-based education, consideration of what it will take to make it a reality becomes the crucial next step. In this context, the Center for Education of the National Research Council (NRC) has undertaken a series of activities to address issues related to the quality of scientific education research. In 2002, the NRC released Scientific Research in Education (National Research Council, 2002), a report designed to articulate the nature of scientific education research and to guide efforts aimed at improving its quality. Building on this work, the Committee on Research in Education was convened to advance an improved understanding of a scientific approach to addressing education problems; to engage the field of education research in action-oriented dialogue about how to further the accumulation of scientific knowledge; and to coordinate, support, and promote cross-fertilization among NRC efforts in education research. The main locus of activity undertaken to meet these objectives was a year-long series of workshops. This report is a summary of the third workshop in the series, on the implementation and implications of randomized field trials in education.

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0309091926

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9780309091923

Strengthening Peer Review in Federal Agencies That Support Education Research

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Center for Education,Committee on Research in Education

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Strengthening Peer Review in Federal Agencies That Support Education Research

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Center for Education,Committee on Research in Education

Peer review is a method used to inform decision-making by engaging experts in a critical evaluation of the merits of a product or proposal. It is most commonly known as a mechanism for judging the quality of proposals for research funding, or manuscripts submitted for publication in academic journals. It is at once a tool with which scientific judgment is formalized and decisions about the allocation of scarce public resources are legitimized. Strengthening Peer Review in Federal Agencies That Support Education Research seeks to advance an improved understanding of a scientific approach to addressing education problems and to engage the field of education research in action-oriented dialogue about how to further the accumulation of scientific knowledge. The focus of this report is on peer review as it is applied to the evaluation of proposals for federal funding of education research projects.

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106

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ISBN 10

0309090997

ISBN 13

9780309090995

Advancing Scientific Research in Education

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Center for Education,Committee on Research in Education

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Advancing Scientific Research in Education

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Center for Education,Committee on Research in Education

Transforming education into an evidence-based field depends in no small part on a strong base of scientific knowledge to inform educational policy and practice. Advancing Scientific Research in Education makes select recommendations for strengthening scientific education research and targets federal agencies, professional associations, and universitiesâ€"particularly schools of educationâ€"to take the lead in advancing the field.

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136

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National Academies Press

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ISBN 10

030918228X

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9780309182287

Embedding Questions

The Pursuit of a Common Measure in Uncommon Tests

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on Embedding Common Test Items in State and District Assessments

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Embedding Questions

The Pursuit of a Common Measure in Uncommon Tests

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on Embedding Common Test Items in State and District Assessments

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ISBN 10

0309172659

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9780309172653

Systems for State Science Assessment

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Center for Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on Test Design for K-12 Science Achievement

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Systems for State Science Assessment

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Center for Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on Test Design for K-12 Science Achievement

In response to the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), Systems for State Science Assessment explores the ideas and tools that are needed to assess science learning at the state level. This book provides a detailed examination of K-12 science assessment: looking specifically at what should be measured and how to measure it. Along with reading and mathematics, the testing of science is a key component of NCLBâ€"it is part of the national effort to establish challenging academic content standards and develop the tools to measure student progress toward higher achievement. The book will be a critical resource for states that are designing and implementing science assessments to meet the 2007-2008 requirements of NCLB. In addition to offering important information for states, Systems for State Science Assessment provides policy makers, local schools, teachers, scientists, and parents with a broad view of the role of testing and assessment in science education.

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249

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0309096626

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9780309096621

Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Board on Science Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on Developing Assessments of Science Proficiency in K-12

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Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards

Assessments, understood as tools for tracking what and how well students have learned, play a critical role in the classroom. Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards develops an approach to science assessment to meet the vision of science education for the future as it has been elaborated in A Framework for K-12 Science Education (Framework) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). These documents are brand new and the changes they call for are barely under way, but the new assessments will be needed as soon as states and districts begin the process of implementing the NGSS and changing their approach to science education. The new Framework and the NGSS are designed to guide educators in significantly altering the way K-12 science is taught. The Framework is aimed at making science education more closely resemble the way scientists actually work and think, and making instruction reflect research on learning that demonstrates the importance of building coherent understandings over time. It structures science education around three dimensions - the practices through which scientists and engineers do their work, the key crosscutting concepts that cut across disciplines, and the core ideas of the disciplines - and argues that they should be interwoven in every aspect of science education, building in sophistication as students progress through grades K-12. Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards recommends strategies for developing assessments that yield valid measures of student proficiency in science as described in the new Framework. This report reviews recent and current work in science assessment to determine which aspects of the Framework's vision can be assessed with available techniques and what additional research and development will be needed to support an assessment system that fully meets that vision. The report offers a systems approach to science assessment, in which a range of assessment strategies are designed to answer different kinds of questions with appropriate degrees of specificity and provide results that complement one another. Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards makes the case that a science assessment system that meets the Framework's vision should consist of assessments designed to support classroom instruction, assessments designed to monitor science learning on a broader scale, and indicators designed to track opportunity to learn. New standards for science education make clear that new modes of assessment designed to measure the integrated learning they promote are essential. The recommendations of this report will be key to making sure that the dramatic changes in curriculum and instruction signaled by Framework and the NGSS reduce inequities in science education and raise the level of science education for all students.

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296

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National Academies Press

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ISBN 10

0309289548

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9780309289542

What Is the Influence of the National Science Education Standards?

Reviewing the Evidence, A Workshop Summary

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Center for Education,Committee on Science Education K-12,Steering Committee on Taking Stock of the National Science Education Standards: The Research

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What Is the Influence of the National Science Education Standards?

Reviewing the Evidence, A Workshop Summary

In 2001, with support from National Science Foundation, the National Research Council began a review of the evidence concerning whether or not the National Science Education Standards have had an impact on the science education enterprise to date, and if so, what that impact has been. This publication represents the second phase of a three-phase effort by the National Research Council to answer that broad and very important question. Phase I began in 1999 and was completed in 2001, with publication of Investigating the Influence of Standards: A Framework for Research in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education (National Research Council, 2002). That report provided organizing principles for the design, conduct, and interpretation of research regarding the influence of national standards. The Framework developed in Phase I was used to structure the current review of research that is reported here. Phase II began in mid-2001, involved a thorough search and review of the research literature on the influence of the NSES, and concludes with this publication, which summarizes the proceedings of a workshop conducted on May 10, 2002, in Washington, DC. Phase III will provide input, collected in 2002, from science educators, administrators at all levels, and other practitioners and policy makers regarding their views of the NSES, the ways and extent to which the NSES are influencing their work and the systems that support science education, and what next steps are needed.

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223

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National Academies Press

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ISBN 10

0309087430

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9780309087438

On Evaluating Curricular Effectiveness

Judging the Quality of K-12 Mathematics Evaluations

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Center for Education,Mathematical Sciences Education Board,Committee for a Review of the Evaluation Data on the Effectiveness of NSF-Supported and Commercially Generated Mathematics Curriculum Materials

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On Evaluating Curricular Effectiveness

Judging the Quality of K-12 Mathematics Evaluations

This book reviews the evaluation research literature that has accumulated around 19 K-12 mathematics curricula and breaks new ground in framing an ambitious and rigorous approach to curriculum evaluation that has relevance beyond mathematics. The committee that produced this book consisted of mathematicians, mathematics educators, and methodologists who began with the following charge: Evaluate the quality of the evaluations of the thirteen National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported and six commercially generated mathematics curriculum materials; Determine whether the available data are sufficient for evaluating the efficacy of these materials, and if not; Develop recommendations about the design of a project that could result in the generation of more reliable and valid data for evaluating such materials. The committee collected, reviewed, and classified almost 700 studies, solicited expert testimony during two workshops, developed an evaluation framework, established dimensions/criteria for three methodologies (content analyses, comparative studies, and case studies), drew conclusions on the corpus of studies, and made recommendations for future research.

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289

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National Academies Press

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0309092426

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9780309092425

Testing, Teaching, and Learning

A Guide for States and School Districts

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on Title I Testing and Assessment

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Testing, Teaching, and Learning

A Guide for States and School Districts

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on Title I Testing and Assessment

State education departments and school districts face an important challenge in implementing a new law that requires disadvantaged students to be held to the same standards as other students. The new requirements come from provisions of the 1994 reauthorization of Title I, the largest federal effort in precollegiate education, which provides aid to "level the field" for disadvantaged students. Testing, Teaching, and Learning is written to help states and school districts comply with the new law, offering guidance for designing and implementing assessment and accountability systems. This book examines standards-based education reform and reviews the research on student assessment, focusing on the needs of disadvantaged students covered by Title I. With examples of states and districts that have track records in new systems, the committee develops a practical "decision framework" for education officials. The book explores how best to design assessment and accountability systems that support high levels of student learning and to work toward continuous improvement. Testing, Teaching, and Learning will be an important tool for all involved in educating disadvantaged studentsâ€"state and local administrators and classroom teachers.

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137

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ISBN 10

0309065348

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9780309065344

Uncommon Measures

Equivalence and Linkage Among Educational Tests

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on Equivalency and Linkage of Educational Tests

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Uncommon Measures

Equivalence and Linkage Among Educational Tests

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on Equivalency and Linkage of Educational Tests

The issues surrounding the comparability of various tests used to assess performance in schools received broad public attention during congressional debate over the Voluntary National Tests proposed by President Clinton in his 1997 State of the Union Address. Proponents of Voluntary National Tests argue that there is no widely understood, challenging benchmark of individual student performance in 4th-grade reading and 8th-grade mathematics, thus the need for a new test. Opponents argue that a statistical linkage among tests already used by states and districts might provide the sort of comparability called for by the president's proposal. Public Law 105-78 requested that the National Research Council study whether an equivalency scale could be developed that would allow test scores from existing commercial tests and state assessments to be compared with each other and with the National Assessment of Education Progress. In this book, the committee reviewed research literature on the statistical and technical aspects of creating valid links between tests and how the content, use, and purposes of education testing in the United States influences the quality and meaning of those links. The book summarizes relevant prior linkage studies and presents a picture of the diversity of state testing programs. It also looks at the unique characteristics of the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Uncommon Measures provides an answer to the question posed by Congress in Public Law 105-78, suggests criteria for evaluating the quality of linkages, and calls for further research to determine the level of precision needed to make inferences about linked tests. In arriving at its conclusions, the committee acknowledged that ultimately policymakers and educators must take responsibility for determining the degree of imprecision they are willing to tolerate in testing and linking. This book provides science-based information with which to make those decisions.

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141

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0309062799

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9780309062794

State Assessment Systems

Exploring Best Practices and Innovations: Summary of Two Workshops

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State Assessment Systems

Exploring Best Practices and Innovations: Summary of Two Workshops

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156

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0309161762

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9780309161763

Evaluation of the Voluntary National Tests, Year 2

Final Report

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on the Evaluation of the Voluntary National Tests, Year 2

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Evaluation of the Voluntary National Tests, Year 2

Final Report

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on the Evaluation of the Voluntary National Tests, Year 2

In his 1997 State of the Union address, President Clinton announced a federal initiative to develop tests of 4th-grade reading and 8th-grade mathematics that could be administered on a voluntary basis by states and school districts beginning in spring 1999. The principal purpose of the Voluntary National Tests (VNT) is to provide parents and teachers with systematic and reliable information about the verbal and quantitative skills that students have achieved at two key points in their educational careers. The U.S. Department of Education anticipated that this information would serve as a catalyst for continued school improvement, by focusing parental and community attention on achievement and by providing an additional tool to hold school systems accountable for their students' performance in relation to nationwide standards. Shortly after initial development work on the VNT, Congress transferred responsibility for VNT policies, direction, and guidelines from the department to the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB, the governing body for the National Assessment of Educational Progress). Test development activities were to continue, but Congress prohibited pilot and field testing and operational use of the VNT pending further consideration. At the same time, Congress called on the National Research Council (NRC) to assess the VNT development activities. Since the evaluation began, the NRC has issued three reports on VNT development: an interim and final report on the first year's work and an interim report earlier on this second year's work. This final report includes the findings and recommendations from the interim report, modified by new information and analysis, and presents our overall conclusions and recommendations regarding the VNT.

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109

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National Academies Press

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ISBN 10

0309184282

ISBN 13

9780309184281

Best Practices for State Assessment Systems, Part I

Summary of a Workshop

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Best Practices for State Assessment Systems, Part I

Summary of a Workshop

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0309159121

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9780309159128

High Stakes

Testing for Tracking, Promotion, and Graduation

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on Appropriate Test Use

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High Stakes

Testing for Tracking, Promotion, and Graduation

By: National Research Council,Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education,Board on Testing and Assessment,Committee on Appropriate Test Use

Everyone is in favor of "high education standards" and "fair testing" of student achievement, but there is little agreement as to what these terms actually mean. High Stakes looks at how testing affects critical decisions for American students. As more and more tests are introduced into the country's schools, it becomes increasingly important to know how those tests are usedâ€"and misusedâ€"in assessing children's performance and achievements. High Stakes focuses on how testing is used in schools to make decisions about tracking and placement, promotion and retention, and awarding or withholding high school diplomas. This book sorts out the controversies that emerge when a test score can open or close gates on a student's educational pathway. The expert panel: Proposes how to judge the appropriateness of a test. Explores how to make tests reliable, valid, and fair. Puts forward strategies and practices to promote proper test use. Recommends how decisionmakers in education shouldâ€"and should notâ€"use test results. The book discusses common misuses of testing, their political and social context, what happens when test issues are taken to court, special student populations, social promotion, and more. High Stakes will be of interest to anyone concerned about the long-term implications for individual students of picking up that Number 2 pencil: policymakers, education administrators, test designers, teachers, and parents.

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351

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National Academies Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0309062802

ISBN 13

9780309062800

Book's by Committee on Embedding Common Test Items in State and District Assessments

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