Making sense of test-based accountability in education / Laura S. Hamilton, Brian M. Stecher, Stephen P. Klein, editors ; prepared for the National Science Foundation.

Test-based accountability systems that attach high stakes to standardized test results have raised a number of issues on educational assessment and accountability. Do these high-stakes tests measure student achievement accurately? How can policymakers and educators attach the right consequences to t...

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Year of Publication:2002
Edition:1st ed.
Language:English
Physical Description:1 online resource (193 p.)
Notes:Description based upon print version of record.
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Table of Contents:
  • PREFACE; CONTENTS; FIGURES; TABLES; SUMMARY; ACKNOWLEDGMENTS; Chapter One INTRODUCTION; DEFINING THE TERMS; TESTS ARE USED WIDELY AND FOR SEVERAL PURPOSES; NEW FEDERAL LEGISLATION MAKES TESTING MANDATORY; THE RATIONALE FOR TEST-BASED ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS IS COMPELLING; TEST-BASED ACCOUNTABILITY COMMANDS SUBSTANTIAL RESOURCES; ABOUT THIS BOOK; Chapter Two TESTS AND THEIR USE IN TEST-BASED ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS; A BRIEF HISTORY OF RECENT TRENDS IN LARGE-SCALE ASSESSMENT; HOW LARGE-SCALE TESTS ARE USED TODAY; ALIGNING TESTS AND STANDARDS; SETTING TARGETS FOR PERFORMANCE; REWARDS AND SANCTIONS
  • SUMMARYChapter Three TECHNICAL CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING TESTS; FIRST, SOME BACKGROUND; SCORE RELIABILITY; VALIDITY; FAIRNESS; TRADE-OFFS: TESTING TIME, COSTS, AND OTHER FACTORS; CONCLUSION; Chapter Four CONSEQUENCES OF LARGE-SCALE, HIGH-STAKES TESTING ON SCHOOL AND CLASSROOM PRACTICE; THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EFFECTS OF TESTING; GATHERING EVIDENCE ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF HIGHSTAKES TESTING; THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF HIGH-STAKES TESTING; SUMMARY; Chapter Five ACCOUNTABILITY AS SEEN THROUGH A POLITICAL LENS; STANDARDIZED TESTING FACILITATES POLITICAL OVERSIGHT OF EDUCATION
  • WHICH GROUPS ARE INTERESTED IN TESTING AND ASSESSMENT?WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE TESTING POLICY?; TESTING AS A ROUTE TO ACHIEVING OTHER POLICY GOALS; THE INFLUENCE OF POLITICS ON HOW TESTS ARE USED; RECONCILING POLICYMAKING IMPERATIVES WITH GOOD TESTING STANDARDS; Chapter Six IMPROVING TEST-BASED ACCOUNTABILITY; FIRST, SOME GENERAL ADVICE; IMPROVING TECHNICAL QUALITY; DESIGNING SYSTEMS THAT HAVE POSITIVE EFFECTS ON PRACTICE; POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS; CONCLUSION; RESOURCES; REFERENCES; CONTRIBUTORS