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Evaluation of the Voluntary National Tests, Year 2 Final Report (1999) / Chapter Skim
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Conclusions and Recommendations
Pages 76-83

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From page 76...
... TEST PURPOSE AND USE The National Assessment Governing Boarcl, in its report to Congress on VNT, has specified the purpose anc3 intenciec3 use of the test, the meaning of "voluntary," anc3 several other key elements: · a focus on incliviclual performance in reacling in the 4th gracle anc3 mathematics in the 8th gracle; · an effort to link VNT content, stanciarcis, anc3 reporting to the National Assessment of Eclucational Progress; · extensive feedback of test results to incliviclual students: · voluntary participation by states or local or private school authorities; anc3 · a clearly defined prohibition of federal participation in the VNT program, beyond its support of test development ancl, possibly, operational costs. The committee believes that a search for evidence that the VNT, if implemented, would have favorable effects on academic achievement should be a high priority anc3 makes four recommendations regarding VNT purpose anc3 use.
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From page 77...
... Those guide lines should illustrate uses of the VNT relative to high stakes decisions that are inappropri ate and explicitly state the potential consequences of such inappropriate uses. RECOMMENDATION 2.3 The National Assessment Governing Board should develop explicit and detailed guidelines, practices, and enforcement mechanisms for the appropriate compilation and use of aggregate data from administrations of the Voluntary National Tests relative to high stakes decisions about teachers, classrooms, schools, or other educational units.
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From page 78...
... RECOMMENDATION 3.4 The contractor should continue to refine the achievement level matching process to include the alignment of item content to achievement level de scriptions, as well as the alignment of item difficulty to the achievement level cutpoints. RECOMMENDATION 3.5 The achievement level descriptions should be reviewed for usefulness in describing specific knowledge and skill expectations to teachers, parents, and others with responsibility for interpreting test scores and promoting student achievement.
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From page 79...
... RECOMMENDATION 4.2 Information regarding expected item survival rates from pilot to field test should be stated explicitly, and NAGB should consider pilot testing additional constructed response items, given the likelihood of greater rates of problems with these types of items than with multiple choice items. RECOMMENDATION 4.3 NAGB and its contractor should continue to detail plans for analyzing the pilot test data.
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From page 80...
... To do so will require oversampling in the pilot and field tests. RECOMMENDATION 5.5 The National Assessment Governing Board should provide a clear, concise, and detailed list of accommodations for the VNT for students with disabili ties or limited English proficiency for use on the VNT field test.
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From page 81...
... The committee believes that a number of decisions and steps related to VNT reporting need to be macle soon. RECOMMENDATION 6.1 Given that test items and answer sheets will be provided to students, parents, and teachers, as well as made available to the general public, test forms should be designed to support scoring using a straightforward, total correct, raw score approach.
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From page 82...
... In this context, we offer our second general conclusion: CONCLUSION The planned pilot test of VNT test items presents opportunities for research on a number of important test development topics that will be useful to NAEP and state and local assessment programs even if the VNT is eventually terminated. These research opportunities include: (1)
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From page 83...
... CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS RECOMMENDATION TO CONGRESS The decision to continue or terminate the VNT should be based on a carefully articulated statement of the expected value and costs of the program, including a detailed examination of underlying assumptions and a delineation of possible unintended outcomes. To the maximum extent possible, research on results from other educational reform efforts should be considered to support or contradict assump lions in this value and cost statement.
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Key Terms

  • national assessment
  • english proficiency
  • assessment governing
  • pilot testing
  • limited english

  • test development
  • item quality
  • field test
  • test data
  • vnt items

  • completed items
  • national tests
  • achievement level
  • mathematics test
  • develop explicit

  • test forms
  • item development
  • voluntary national
  • detailed guidelines
  • vnt development

  • enforcement mechanisms
  • test items
  • aggregate data
  • empirical data
  • vnt test

  • vnt pilot
  • reading stance
  • mathematics content
  • tests relative
  • appropriate compilation


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