Testing
The Role of Instructional Materials in Finding Evidence of Opportunity to Learn
by Susan Phillips
Taken together, the Test Standards and prior graduation test cases
indicate that information on instructional materials, also referred
to as curricular validity, is an important piece of evidence for
establishing adequate opportunity to learn. To provide convincing
evidence of curricular validity, districts and schools should carefully
evaluate their instructional materials for scope, sequence and content
that is consistent with state academic content standards and accountability
tests. Districts and schools should also ensure that sufficient instructional
materials are available for all students at the beginning of each
new school year.
Frequently Asked Questions about Assessment and Testing
November 09, 2004
The AAP School Division Test Committee recently released informational
papers that address frequently asked questions about issues related
to assessments and testing.
"Kill The Messenger"
Executive Summary
June 30, 2004
Educational testing is an essential activity in every school,
in every school district and in every state. Standardized tests are
used to evaluate students and schools; to help improve teaching and
learning; and to generate important information from which educational
policy decisions can be made. Yet, when the results of these tests
are not as good as one would like, there has been an increasing tendency
by some to blame the test. In other words, if you don't like the
results it mabe be easier to kill the messenger than fix the underlying
problem the test revealed. The Association of American Publishers'
Test committee created this brochure, which is an executive summary
of a book written by Richard Phelps entitled Kill the Messenger,
to help policy makers and the public better understand the growing
debate about the use of standardized tests in our nation's schools.
Executive
Summary
AAP School Division Revises Assessment Primer (PDF)
The revised testing primer, "Standardized Assessment: A Primer" reflects new assessment requirements contained in the No Child Left Behind Act.