Interpreting Standardized Test Scores

Craig A. Mertler is currently a Professor of Action Research and Quantitative Methods at Barry University in Miami, Florida. He began his career as a high school biology teacher. He has been an educator for 39 years—29 of those in higher education at Bowling Green State University, the University of West Georgia, Lynn University, Arizona State University, and Barry University, and 12 years as an administrator (department chair, doctoral program director, and education dean). Over his career, he has taught courses focused on the application of action research to promote educator empowerment, school improvement, and job-embedded professional development, as well as classroom assessment, research methods, and statistical analyses. He has served as the research methodology expert and/or chair on more than 140 doctoral dissertations and master’s theses. He is the author of 30 books, 9 invited book chapters, and 25 refereed journal articles. He has also presented more than 40 research papers at professional meetings around the country, as well as internationally.He conducts workshops for in-service educational professionals (at all levels) on classroom-based action research and on the topics of classroom assessment and assessment literacy, as well as data-driven educational decision making. His primary research and consulting interests include classroom-based action research, data-driven educational decision making, professional learning communities, and classroom teachers’ assessment literacy. In his leisure time, he enjoys traveling with his family to the beach and sometimes writing a little fiction. Dr. Mertler can be reached at craig.mertler@gmail.com for consulting, professional development, and speaking engagements. Additionally, you can visit his website at www.craigmertler.com.

"Craig A. Mertler′s approach would reduce your stress level as his book walks the reader through the various assessments often encountered in schools and helps the reader make better use of the information embedded in accountability reports.  The book is well-organized and provides clear and thorough descriptions of the myriad terms the reader will encounter with assessments."  —Lane B. Mills, THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR

• PrefaceSECTION ONE: OVERVIEW OF STANDARDIZED TESTING: CONCEPTS AND TERMINOLOGY1. What Is "Standardized" Testing?What Makes a Test "Standardized"?A Brief History of Standardized Testing in American EducationHow Standardized Tests Are DevelopedTest BiasTypes of Standardized Tests Based on PurposeTypes of Standardized Tests Based on ScoresSummaryActivities for Application and Reflection2. The Importance of Standardized TestingAppropriate Uses of Standardized Testing in EducationMisuses of Standardized Testing in EducationWhy Educators Dislike Standardized TestingWhy Educators (Should) Like Standardized TestingSummaryActivities for Application and Reflection3. Standardized Test Administration and PreparationStandardized Administration ProceduresTestwiseness SkillsDo′s and Dont′s of Test Preparation"Teaching to the Test" Versus "Teaching to the Standards"- A Final WordSummaryActivities for Application and ReflectionSECTION TWO: STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES AND THEIR INTERPRETATIONS4. Test ReportsOverview of Test ReportsIndividual Student ReportsClass ReportsBuilding- and District-Level ReportsSummaryActivities for Application and Reflection5. Criterion-Referenced Test Scores and Their InterpretationsWhat Do Criterion-Referenced Test Scores Tell Us?Selected-Response Test ItemsConstructed-Response Test ItemsThe Nature of Cut ScoresSummaryActivities for Application and Reflection6. Norm-Referenced Test Scores and Their InterpretationsWhat Do Norm-Referenced Scores Tell Us?The Nature of Norm GroupsTypes of Norm-Referenced ScoresStandard Error of Measurement and Confidence IntervalsSummaryActivities for Application and ReflectionSECTION THREE: USING STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES IN INSTRUCTIONAL DECISION MAKING7. Group-Level Decision MakingData-Driven Decision MakingA Process for Focusing on Group InstructionSummaryActivities for Application and Reflection8. Student-Level Decision MakingA Process for Focusing on Individual Instruction (Intervention)SummaryActivities for Application and Reflection9. Value-Added Analysis and InterpretationWhat Is "Value-Added" Analysis?A Process for Value-Added Decision MakingSummaryActivities for Application and ReflectionSECTION FOUR: CASE STUDIES: INTERVIEWS WITH TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORSDistrict and School ProfilesInterview Transcripts: TeachersInterview Transcripts: AdministratorsGlossaryReferencesIndexAbout the Author