Educational Assessment

Robert Wright earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in 1966, and began teaching high school science. A few years later in 1969 he earned a Masters degree in school counseling from West Chester University and was employed as a public school counselor, first with high school students and later with middle school students. In 1974 he completed a doctorate (Ph.D.) in Educational Psychology with specializations in child & adolescent development and educational measurement from Temple University. As part of that degree he completed a clinical fellowship in rehabilitation counseling at Moss Hospital, part of the Albert Einstein Medical Center (Philadelphia). Following graduation he completed advanced studies in school psychology at Lehigh University. Professor Wright has taught counseling and supervised counseling interns and has also taught educational measurement, and educational statistics & research for graduate students in counseling. He is a member of the American Counseling Association, the American School Counselor Association, the American Psychological Association (Division 17, counseling psychology), the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, and the American Educational Research Association. He is professionally licensed to practice in Pennsylvania. During his career Professor Wright chaired 114 doctoral dissertations, published and presented over 120 articles and paper presentations and has had four books published.

"For one of the only times in my career, and according to my master′s students′ positive reactions and statements, Wright′s text encourages readers to think closely and with high interest about current assessment in education. The book gives educators strong justification and clarification for what they have been thinking about assessment in their classrooms"

• PrefaceSECTION ONE: EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT IN AMERICA: HISTORY, GOALS, AND APPLICATIONS1. Issues and Measurement Practices in the SchoolsIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesAccountability, Assessment, and TestingWhy do we Test?Types and Varieties of TestsAssumptions Made by Test DevelopersTrends in TestingLaw and TestingCase LawEducational Ethics and TestingSummaryDiscussion Questions2. History of Testing in American EducationIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesScientific Measurement and RacismThe Next GenerationSingle Factor ModelsMultiple Factor ModelsContemporary Public SchoolsWinds of ChangeSummaryDiscussion QuestionsSECTION TWO: THE MEANING AND QUALITY OF TEST SCORES3. The Measurement and Description of VariablesIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesVariablesCentral TendencyNormal DistributionVariation and VarianceStandard ScoresVariationCorrelationSummaryDiscussion Questions4. Reliability as a Measure of Test QualityIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesReliabilityInternal ConsistencyGains and LossesStandard Error of MeasurementFactors with an Impact on ReliabilityReliability of Cut ScoresReliability of Performance Tasks and Criterion TestsSummaryDiscussion Questions5. Validity as a Measure of Test QualityIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesValidity: The Traditional Context of ValidityContemporary ViewComparison GroupsTest Bias and FairnessSummaryDiscussion QuestionsSECTION THREE: TESTING OF STUDENTS BY CLASSROOM TEACHERS6. Planning and Constructing Classroom TestsIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesTesting and TeachingFormative TestsSummative EvaluationsTesting FormatsSummaryDiscussion Questions7. Classroom Development and Use of Extended Answer TestsIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesHomeworkCompletion or Short AnswerThe Essay TestBluffingEssay Test FormatEssay GradingThe SAT Essay TestSummaryDiscussion Questions8. Item Selection and AnalysisIssues and ThemesClassroom TestingA Priori Qualitative Assessment and Analysis of TestsItem Difficulty IndexDistracter AnalysisItem Analysis with Constructed or Supply Type ItemsDiscriminationComputer Adaptive TestingItem Response Theory (IRT)SummaryDiscussion Questions9. Performance AssessmentsIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesAssessment and InstructionPerformance Based AssessmentsScoringPortfoliosSummaryDiscussion Questions10. Grades, Progress Reports, and Report CardsIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesBackground and HistoryPurposes of Report Card GradesStudent GradesReport Card CommentsOn-line Report CardsReport Card Grades for the GiftedGrades and Students with Special NeedsThe Case of Transfer StudentsGrade Point Average and Class RankTeacher-Parent ConferenceGrade InflationPromotion and GraduationSummaryDiscussion QuestionsSECTION FOUR: TESTING FOR STUDENT LEARNING, TALENT, APTITUDE, AND SPECIAL NEEDS11. Standardized Measures of LearningIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesExplaining Test Scores to ParentsMajor Achievement Test BatteriesState Mandated AssessmentsSummaryDiscussion Questions12. Testing of Aptitude and SelectionIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesAptitudeScholastic Aptitude and IntelligenceTraining of Test AdministratorsTests of Intelligence Administered One-on-OneTests of Intelligence Administered to GroupsGroup Administered Aptitude TestsAssessment of Talented and Gifted ChildrenAssessment of Aptitude for College StudySummaryDiscussion Questions13. Identification of Learning ProblemsIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesIncidenceInformal ScreeningInstructional Support TeamReferral, Assessment, and the IEP CommitteeAssessment ProcessFormal Assessments of Attention and FocusAD/HD Measurement ScalesAssessments of Reading ProblemsEarly Reading TestsAssessments of Language and Speech ProblemsMeasures for the Identification of Problems Learning MathematicsIndividualized Educational PlanAccommodations for Children with DisabilitiesSummaryDiscussion QuestionsSECTION FIVE: NO CHILD, TEACHER, OR SCHOOL LEFT BEHIND14. International, National, and Statewide Testing ProgramsIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesInternational ComparisonsNation’s Report CardSchool AssessmentsNo Child Left BehindSummaryDiscussion Questions15. Student, Family, and Teacher Factors in Test ScoresIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesStudentsFamiliesTeachersSummaryDiscussion Questions16. Test Preparation for Successful SchoolsIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesAccountability AngstLegal and Ethical RequirementsMarginal EthicsSuccessful SchoolsClassroom InstructionArchitecture and School DesignAdministrationSummaryDiscussion Questions17. Accountability and EvaluationIssues and ThemesLearning ObjectivesEvaluation OverviewSystematic Program EvaluationSteps in a Systematic EvaluationValue-added EvaluationSummaryDiscussion QuestionsReferencesGlossaryIndexAbout the Author