PAGENO="0001" QUALITY OF EDUCATION, 1977 7$ ~ HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, ARTS AND HUMANITIES OF THE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES -UNITED STATES SENATE NINETY-FIFTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON EXAMINATION INTO THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION OF OUR NATION'S STUDENTS AND MEANS OF IMPROVING COMPETENCY IN BASIC SKILLS AT VARIOUS GRADE LEVELS JULY 14, 27; AND SEPTEMBER 22, 1977 ~UThERS LAW ~G11OOL U~F:ARY CAMDEN, N. J. 08102 ~DVERN M E~DOCU WtENJ Printed for the use of the Committee on Human Resources U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 95-038 0 WASHINGTON: 1977 PAGENO="0002" COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES HARRISON A. `WILLIAMS, Ja., New Jersey, Chairman JENNINGS RANDOLPH, West Virginia JACOB K. JAVITS, New York CLAIBORNE FELL, Rhode Island RICHARD S SCHWEIKER,~pe~imsylvania EDWARD M. KENNEDY, Massachusetts ROBERT T. STAFFORD, Ver~oit GAYLORD NELSON, Wisconsin ` ORHIN G. HATCH, Utah THOMAS F. EAGLETON, Missouri JOHN H. CHAFEE, Rhode Island ALAN CRANSTON, California S. I. HAYAKAWA, California WILLIAM D. HATHAWAY, Maine DONALD W. RIEGLE, JR., Michigan STEPHEN J. PARADISE, General Counsel and Staff Director MARJORIE M. WHITTAKER, Chief Clerk DON A. ZIMMERMAN, Minority Counsel SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, ARTS AND HUMANITIES CLAIBORNE FELL, Rhode Island, Chairman JENNINGS RANDOLPH, West Virginia ROBERT T. STAFFORD, Vermont EDWARD M.KENNEDY, Massachusetts RICHARD S. SCHWEIKER, Pennsylvania THOMAS F. EAGLETON, Missouri S. I. HAYAKAWA, California HARRISON A. WILLIAMS, JR., New Jersey JACOB K. JAVITS, New York (ex officio) (ex officio) `JEAN S. FR0HLIcHER, Counsel `SVEN R. GROENNINGS, Minority (II) PAGENO="0003" CONTENTS CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF WITNESSES THURSDAY, JULY 14, 1977 Rickover, Adm. H. G., U.S. Navy, Energy Research and Development, Page Commander for Nuclear Power 3 Berry, Dr. Mary, Assistant Secretary for Education, Education Division, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare 17 WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1977 Turnbull, Dr. William W., president, Educational Testing Service, Prince- ton, N.J 50 Forbes, Dr. Roy H., director, National Assessment of Educational Progress 51 rTHUR5DAY SEPTEMBER 22, 1977 Wirtz, Willard, chairman, Advisory Panel on the Scholastic Aptitude Test Score Decline, College Entrance Examination Board 310 STATEMENTS Berry, Dr. Mary, Assistant Secretary for Education, Ethication Division, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare 17 Prepared statement 34 Educational Testing Service, Princeton, N.J., William W. Turnbull, presi- dent, piepared statement 74 Forbes, Dr. Roy H., director, National Assessment of Educational Progress 51 Prepared statement 198 National Assessment of Educational Progress, Roy H. Forbes, director, prepared statement 198 Rickover, Adm. H. G., U.S. Navy, Energy Research and Development, Commander for Nuclear Power 3 Turnbull, Dr. William W., president, Educational Testing Service, Prince- ton, N.J 50 Prepared statement 74 Wirtz, Willard, chairman. Advisory Panel on the Scholastic Aptitude Test Score Decline, College Entrance Examination Board 310 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Articles, publications, etc.: Basic Skills Assessment Around the Nation, from the Educational Testing Service, Princeton, N.J.: February 1977 91 June 1977 (Interim Update) 107 Bloomington Writing Assessment 1977, Bloomington Public Schools, Bloomington, Minn 228 Characteristics of Eight Commonly Used, Nationally Normed Tests, by G. Kasten Tailmadge and Christine P. Wood, RMC Research Corporation, Mountain View, Calif., October 1976 139 Executive Summary of 1976-77 Massachusetts Statewide Educational Assessment, bureau of research and assessment, Massachusetts Department of Education, Boston, Mass 244 (III) PAGENO="0004" Iv National Survey on Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Career Development, by the National Center for Education Statis- tics, Denver, Cob 293 Report of New Tests and Services Designed to Assist Educational Agencies in Title I Evaluation, by Educational Testing Service, Princeton, N.J., July 1977 121 Rhode Island Statewide Assessment Program 1975-76, prepared by the Rhode Island Department of Education 259 Six-year Improvement Plan for the Department of Testing, June 30, 1977, based on the Norfolk Public School Six-year Improvement Plan 257 Study Traces Achievement Profiles, from National Assessment of Edu- cational Progress Newsletter, April 1977 236 Washington Statewide Educational Assessment, Fall 1976, State Gen- eral Report, Washington Department of Education 276 Communications to: Pell, Hon. Claiborne, a U.S. Senator from the State of California, from: Becker, Richard, Instructional Media Production Services, Brooklyn Center, Minn., July 16, 1977 303 Forbes, Roy H., director, National Assessment of Educational Progress, Denver, Cob., Aug. 12, 1977 (with enclosures) 203 Jones, Jerome B., superintendent, Department of Public Schools, Providence, R.I., September 14, 1977 320 Parkhurst, Rev. Donald R., Covington, Ky., July 26, 1977 305 Turnbull, William W., president, Educational Testing Service, Princeton, N.J., Aug. 9, 1977 (with enclosures) 161 Wallworth, Mrs. John, Hot Springs National Park, Ark., July 27, 1977 306 Zacharias, Jerrolcl R., Education Development Center, Newton, Mass., September 15, 1977 323 PAGENO="0005" QUALITY OF EDUCATION, 1977 THURSDAy, JULY 14, 1977 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITrEE ON EDUCATION, ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES OF THE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES, Wa.s/iington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:04 a.m., in room 1318, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Senator Claiborne Pell (chair- man of the subcommittee) presiding. Present: Senators Pell, Schweiker, and Hayakawa. Senator PELL. The Subcommittee on Education, Arts and Humani- ties will come to order. One of the issues involving education which is of concern to all of us, particularly those of us who are parents, as every, recent opinion poll has shown, is the nagging issue of educational quality. Parents are convinced that their children are simply not learning. Whether this is true or not, this is the common perception-that today's students are achieving less than those of preceding generations. There are many alarming indications that students simply do not read, write, or add and subtract as well as they used to. Vice Adm. James D. Watkins, Chief of Naval Personnel, recently complained that illiteracy among young Americans has become so widespread that the Navy is finding it difficult to secure recruits who can read well enough to function. Having been a seaman second class myself, once upon a time, I know that that does not take a tremendous amount of reading and writing. He said that the Navy is now required. to conduct remedial reading courses, to teach recruits to read at the sixth grade level, so that they can understand urgent warnings. There are other signals that the public is becoming concerned about low achievement. Today's Washington Post reports that the District of Columbia School Board voted unanimously last night to impose minimum achievement standards for both high school graduation and for promotion from grade to grade. Such standards would be enforced by a citywide testing program-and I congratulate the District School Board on this step. However, it is unclear when such tests or standards would go into effect. The State of Virginia voted to enforce graduation requirements, but was then forced to postpone their effectiveness until 1984. Mary- land has adopted a set of minimum reading standards, but there is simply no mechanism to enforce them. Throughout the Nation, nine States have voted to have minimum competency requirements as a (1) PAGENO="0006" 2 condition for graduation from high school, but so far such standards have been put into effect only in Arizona. This is a problem of tremendous concern. It may or may not be one with which the Federal Government can deal. However, this hearing is intended to explore both the problem and potential solutions- Federal, State, and local. It marks the first hearing in a series that this subcommittee will be conducting in the area of elementary and second- ary education, leading up to the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. It is a particular pleasure to have as our first witness today, Admiral Rickover, the well-known father of our nuclear-powered Navy. We are all well aware of Admiral Rickover's outstanding achievements in developing the world's first nuclear-powered submarine and the first civilian electric utility nuclear-powered generation station in Pennsylvania. For more than a quarter of a century, he has been in charge of the naval nuclear propulsion program, responsible not only for the design and construction of the nuclear-powered plants of our naval warships, but also for selection and training of the crews that operate them. He interviews all the officers assigned to these nuclear ships and selects them personally. An example of this excellent selection is the fact that many years ago, he selected a young lieutenant, Jimmy Carter, who has since been selected for a far more responsible job by the American people. Officers and enlisted men undergo an exhaustive training program in his nuclear power schools. We of this subcommittee are particularly grateful to him for his contributions in the field of education. In the era of Sputnik, it was Admiral Rickover who focused the Nation's attention on the short- comings in this Nation's educational system-shortcomings which contributed substantially to the technological gap between this Nation and the Soviet Union in this particular field. As usual, he is not one to skip his homework. He has written three fine books on education: "Education and Freedom," "Swiss Schools and Ours: Why Theirs Are Better," and "American Education-A National Failure." Many professional educators have attacked Admiral Rickover's views as an unwarranted intrusion into their domain. Yet, few would deny that he has probably done as much to spur educational reform as any other national figure. In this regard, he has spurred this subcommittee. Some years ago, he proposed legislation calling for increased quality in our Nation's schools. I introduced this bill, which was cosponsored by Senator Cooper. Part of its provisions became law, but alas, were never implemented by the executive branch, then under another administration. Today we are faced with trying problems in education. It is the function of this subcommittee to maintain oversight of the education function. This is what we have in mind. It is ~n honor to have you with us. Admiral. If you would start off, I would be delighted. Later on, I look forward to introducing Dr. Berry, and then we can have dialog back and forth. Admiral Rickover, you may lead off. PAGENO="0007" 3 STATEMENT OP ADM. H. G. RICKOVER, U.S. NAVY, ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, COMMANDER POR~ NUCLEAR POWER Admiral RICKOVER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm sure you realize that you are out of step with the educational establishment in praising me. This could cause you to fall out of favor with the educationists. However, since they depend on Congress for a considerable portion of their funds, I expect your ostracism would be short lived. ~T will now proceed with my prepared statement. Thank you for the opportunity to present my views on American education to this distinguished committee. In my search for people capable of meeting the demands of the naval nuclear propulsion program, I have had a unique opportunity to judge the products of our schools. Over the last three decades, I have interviewed thousands of top graduates of our colleges and the Naval Academy in search of young people with intelligence, integrity, and initiative. In these people, I look not so much for technical com- petence-we will teach them that-but for the ability *to think for themselves, to understand the basic principles of the courses they have taken, and to speak clearly. From what I have seen, our schools are not providing a good education. The heart of any civilization is its education. Of the glories of ancient Greece, none was greater than Plato's Academy. Of all that the Middle Ages created, nothing was greater than the universities. Of the spirit of the Renaissance,, it is humanism that is its greatest legacy. We will be tomorrow what our schools are today. Our future citizens are now students in elementary and secondary schools. We have a right as well as a duty to ask how well the schools, teachers, administrators, and parents are meeting their responsibility. Several signs warn us that our educational system is falling behind the needs of our society. In the midsixties scores of college entrance examinations began to decline. The drop is revealed in the scores for the scholastic aptitude tests, which are the entrance examinations required by most colleges. The American College Tests, the Minnesota Scholastic Achievement Test and the Iowa. Tests of Educational Development show a similar trend. The reasons are complex and are still being studied. Possibly the drop does not reflect a real diminution in student-learning skills. Perhaps it is because the number of students taking the tests have greatly increased. Perhaps poorer students have been urged to take the tests so as to gain admission to college. However, there is other evidence of the need for improvement of our educational process. Last year, the private higher education annual report found ". . an appalling decline in the preparation of newly admitted students in reading, writing, and mathematics." The National Assessment of Educational Progress, a federally financed organization, recently studied writing samples of 7,500 students. Only a tenth of the 9-year- olds, a third of the 13-year-olds and half the 17-year-olds could organize ideas on paper. Most wrote random sentences. In 1975 the PAGENO="0008" 4 University of California reported that 75 percent of the State's best high school graduates failed a nationally used English composition test. They could not express themselves, choose the right word to com- plete a thought, or organize their writing. My own experience, based on the results of interviews I have con- ducted of over 12,000 graduates from some 130 different colleges and universities over the past 30 years, confirms that there is a serious problem. Certain impressions emerge from these interviews. For ex- ample, although a student's record may show that he has taken a variety of courses with impressive titles, his basic knowledge of funda- mentals has declined markedly in relation to his counterpart of 15 years ago. It is not uncommon for me to interview a recent graduate from a "good" college who has received a masters degree in mathe- matics but who is incapable of solving a 10th grade algebra problem. I have interviewed students receiving a bachelors degree in electrical engineering who do riot know the difference between alternating and direct current. I could recite case after case, not only in engineering, mathematics~ and science, but in history~ foreign language, economics and other fields, where the students could not discuss even the funda- mentals of their disciplines. Yet each of these students honestly be- lieved that he had done well in school and had learned what was expected of him. This is a tragedy. To further emphasize the severity of the problem, you should recognize that I only interview students with relatively high standings in their schools. The problem is not confined to the colleges. In the nuclear program, I am also responsible for training enlisted personnel. Within the past 5 years, I have been compelled to incorporate a remedial "prenuclear power school" because of the increasing attrition due to academic failures. I now teach courses in the basics of mathematics, physics and chemistry to enlisted students before they enter the nuclear power school. Here again, remember that we only accept into the nuclear program those enlisted men of the highest mental caliber. All must have high school diplomas. You can appreciate the problem faced by the rest of the Navy in attempting to train personnel of lesser ability to handle the complex equipment now in use. Outside of the nuclear program, the Navy, in my opinion, has fallen prey to the siren of easy education. Today, for a number of reasons, the Navy uses the so-called "self-pace" method of teaching. The student can proceed at his own pace using programed lesson plans with no meaningful checks along the way to determine how much he has learned. When he thinks he has learned a given lesson he takes a single test and then proceeds to the next lesson. Often the answers *are supplied on the same page as the questions. After going through the required number of lessons, lie then graduates himself and pro- ceeds to a ship. To illustrate the absurdity of the situation, there are examples where a foreign student, who could not read or write English, ~uccessfully passed the course. . . Before we put too much blame on the Navy or think this is lust a Navy problem, let me remind you that this method of teaching was not devised by the Navy itself. The Navy sought "expert" advice from recognized educators throughout the United States-educators who PAGENO="0009" 5 have been and are shaping the educational methods of our elementary schools, high schools and colleges. These are the so-called experts. Unfortunately, they never have to use the products of their efforts, and I think even if they did, they could not recognize the difference. If their system is a failure, they blame ethnic background, unhappy homelife or poor motivation. Only some of the elementary and secondary students will go on to college, but nearly all will become voters. How well prepared are they to exercise the rights, responsibilities and obligations of citizen- ship? The erosion of elementary and secondary education is undermining our institutions of higher education. Faced with an increasing number of freshmen who cannot write coherent sentences or handle simple arithmetic, more and more colleges and universities are forced to offer remedial courses. Many college professors state that students are not as well prepared as they were a few years ago. What a waste it is for universities to have to teach fundamentals that should have been mastered earlier. They have, however, brought the problem on them- selves. Instead of refusing admittance to unqualified students, they continue to offer remedial courses in record numbers in order to main- tain enrollment. The effectiveness of such remedial courses remains a big question. In the words of one English department head at a major university: It is a breathtakingly difficult assignment to undo the failure of a lifetime in one or two academic terms. This statement contains a profound truth. The years of youth are precious-a unique time when the mind is at its freshest and most inquisitive. If it is dulled, it may never recover the sharp edge of eagerness and enthusiasm. Some parts of the education establishment seem to discount the decline in test scores. Some educators have questioned whether the national test score averages should be made available to the public. Others assert that standardized tests are a violation of human and civil rights and that they discriminate against minorities and poor readers. Did you hear that, Dr. Berry? Di. BERRY. I heard it. Admiral Rici~ovnji. Tests of this sort are not intended to measure a student's value as a person, but to measure the extent of his knowl- edge and the quality of his work. Parents have a right and a need to know where their children stand academically. Similarly, the public has a right and need to know how their schools and school districts ~tand in relation to the national and regional averages in relation to previous test results. The abolition of tests or the failure to disclose test scores would be a violation of these rights. Unfortunately, the preponderance of data collected on education is used to measure what resources we invest in our edu~ation system, rather than what it has acomplished. Those statistics which purport to measure our return on investment, do so primarily in quantitative terms such as a number of desks filled or diplomas awarded. Stand- ardized tests, while not perfect. are one of the few measures that can give us some qualitative indication of what our children are learning PAGENO="0010" 6 and how well our schools are doing their job. Yet many educators emphasize other statistics which have nothing to do with the quality of education. Grade inflation is a particularly pernicious result of declining standards in education. The decline in academic skills shown by achievement test scores is masked to a. large ext.ent by the fact that students nationwide are receiving higher grades. At many colleges, three quarters of the grades given are A's or B's. Grade inflation at high school appears to be just as prevalent. The high school diploma and the college degree have been cheapened to the point where often- times they no longer stand for recognition of academic achievement. This situation of "grade creep" has actually forced me to conduct examinations of students that come from outstanding colleges. You would be shocked, Mr. Chairman, to see the dispa.r~y between the results of these examine tions and the official grade transcripts. We can no longer rely on oflicial records from even the top 100 colleges in this country. These schools are perpetrating a great fraud on the students and on the public, by seldom failing anyone. Without a proper educa- tion, these students are going to fail later on in life anyway. Better that they find out the truth now, rather than in the cold harsh world, where there are no inflated scores. A tragic. example of grade inflation occurred here in Washington last year. Despite a nearly straight A average, the valedictorian of a. lii~h school foiled to meet the entrance requirements of a local uni- versity. His college board examination scores were but half of what the university expected. One official speculated that, since discipline is such a major problem in the District schools," * * * a nice kid might have his grades inflated. * * ~" In any event, the result could only have been a crushing disappointment to the boy and his parents. They were deluded into thinking he was getting a good education; they were defrauded. Can you imagine what that poor boy-who has been lauded through- out his school career-thinks now of society and the people who al- lowed him to be defrauded in this way? I don't believe that the Office of Education has ever publicly acknowledged the grade inflation phenomenon. Perhaps they are too busy with the business of handing out grants. I wouldn't be surprised, though, if someday they fund a million dollar study to determine why that boy failed. I could tell them for free; so could the boy. I suggest that his teachers be given the same kind of examination the boy had to go through to find out how they would do. I think they would prob- ably do worse. In fact, I think they would probably learn from him. When a teacher says he. learns from his students-it is probably true. Any teacher who says that probably does learn from his students. In another case, a Long Island, N.Y., high school graduate brought suit against the school system for "educational malpractice." He al- leged he w-as not taught enough reading and writing to get and hold a decent job. In evidence was his high school transcript, showing that he was promoted from grade to grade, despite a consistent record of failing marks. For example, he wAs admitted to senior English with- out ever having passed either sophomore or junior English. I'm sure you remember the famous case of the high school student who couldn't read his diploma. PAGENO="0011" 7 Much has been written about grade inflation, but it is an effect rather than a cause. It is the inevitable result of restructuring courses and methods of teaching to demand less work on the part of the students. Where demands are low, students get higher grades than they earn. When I interview a candidate who does not seem to know much about the subjects he has studied, I frequently find he is the product of an educational process which contains few comprehensive lesson plans detailing on a day-to-day basis, what the student must read or learn; where lie is given a general outline of the entire course and told to proceed at will; where the few tests given cover but broad aspects of the material; or where grades are primarily based on student participation in class. There will always be those few students who, for whatever reason, will excel and will, on their own, master the subject. They do this in spite of the system rather than because of it. In many cases, the teacher is more an umpire than a teacher; he is not required nor ex- pected to know much. In due deference to Dr. Berry, I use "he" in its generic sense, because there isn't time to use the term "lie or she." I think of "he". as a member of the human race and I hope no Ms. in this room is offended by that generalization. Dr. BERRY. There are more "she's" than "he's." Admiral RICKOvER. Yes; there are more "she's" than "lie's" ap- parently, there are not as many attractive women as there are men, because there are many more unmarried women than there are un- married men. [Laughter.] Senator PELL. Women live longer than men. Admiral RICKOVER. Sir? Senator PELL. Women live longer-that's why we have more of them, which helps account for that. Admiral RICKOVER. They do this in spite. of the system rather than because of it. [Laughter.] Senator PELL. All right. Admiral RICKOVER. In many cases, the teacher is more an umpire than a teacher. He is not required nor expected to know much. As long as he can "relate" to the students, he is doing his job. From all of this evolves grade inflation. But the problem is more fundamental. The student has not learned, but has been led to believe that he has mastered the course because he has done what the system calls for. He is happy; the teacher is happy; the school is happy; the parents are happy. Only society is unhappy. Parents and students must accept the unpleasant fact that today's awards and diplomas do not necessarily imply academic achievement. Grade inflation, far from helping students, robs them of a proper education; too late, they discover how little they really learned. Ac- cepting a diploma without an education makes no more sense than getting vaccinated and not finding out if the vaccination took. A person who believes he is safely vaccinated, but is not, is a danger to himself and to others. In an address to the Washington area~ graduating classes of 1977, the Rev. Jesse Jackson made a similar point. He cautioned that PAGENO="0012" .8 accepting a diploma without an education makes no more sense than paying for a shopping cart full of groceries and leaving the store with just the receipt. If our educational system is to be improved, parents and students must view education as the pursuit of knowl- edge and the development of essential skills such as reading, writing, and the ability to reason-not simply the pursuit of grades and diplomas. The problem of functional illiteracy is growing at a time when technology demands special care. Recent Navy experience illustrates this problem. The Chief of Naval Personnel recently disclosed that we are having trouble finding recruits who read well enough to do their job. He cited the example of a sailor who, because he could not read instructions, caused $250,000 in damage to a diesel engine by attempting to make repairs based solely on illustrations in the manual. As a result of the increasing number of high school grad- uates who cannot read adequately, the Navy now requires many of its recruits to enroll in a 6-week remedial course aimed at raising their reading ability to the sixth grade leveL Senator PELL. I believe that in order to give adequate time Admiral RloKovrjt. Sir? Senator PELL. In order to give adequate time to hea.r Dr. Berry and then go on to some various questions, I hope we might be able to digest the remaining two-thirds of your statement. Admiral RICK0vER. Sir, I would like to digest my statement, but I'm afraid I would have diarrhea if I did. [Laughter.~f There are other indications of the severity of the reading problem. This year saw the publication of a new magazine aimed specifically at junior high school students who are able to read only at the. second grade level. In answer to your question, Mr. Chairman, I have devoted a great deal of time to the preparation of this statement and I believe I have a message that should be of value, not only to your committee, but to anyone else in this country who is interested in education, so I would hope you would pardon me, sir, for continuing with my statement. But I will shorten it where I can. The publisher established a subscription goal of 350,000 for the new magazine. He already has in circulation a magazine geared to high school students who read at the fourth to sixth grade level. Parents share in the responsibility for inadequacies in our chil- dren's academic skill. They do not spend enough time with their child nor show sufficient interest in his school work. Further, many parents have come to distrust their own ability to gauge whether their children are receiving a proper education. Confronted by a strange educational program and unfamiliar jargon, many have come to believe that only professional educators can judge how well a child is doing in school. Other parents subscribe to the belief, common in our wealthy society, that any problem can be solved if only enough money is spent, yet the~ amount spent throughout the. Nation for ~irimary and secondary schools between 1960 and 1973 went up by 199 per- cent. Consequently, our educational system is replete with monu- ments of this philosophy of "money cures all" elaborate school buildings; instructional media, for which we pay three times as PAGENO="0013" 9 much as for textbooks; and calculators for children who do not even know arithmetic. But, the education of our youth is something that requires personal dedication and a substantial investment of time, not just. money. Television has contributed greatly to the decline in the reading and writing skills of the child. Studies have shown that high school seniors have spent more of their lives in front of television than inside the classroom. Parents are derelict in allowing their children to become slaves of television. They watch television along with their children and thereby give parental approbation to the values that television transmits. Worse, some parents use television as an electronic babysitter. The television set is definitely inferior to the book as a means of education. `Watching is passive; reading is active. Television is nonstop, giving the viewer no time to think; he is rushed from one scene to the next~. A book allows a person to stop, reflect, to turn back to a remembered passage-months or even years after the first' read- ing. A `book can encourage imagination and independent thought. Television, however, frequently leaves children with a false image of the real world. Television `is conditioning them to think that any problem can be resolved in a half-hour; or if difficult, perhaps an hour. It tends to shorten the attention spans of children, making the hard work of learning appea.r even more tedious when compared with the entertainment-oriented television. It fails to develop critical and analytical thought-qualities which we have prized throughout our history. Its primary purpose appears to be to make consumers of grownups and children. By the way, Mr. Chairma.n, I thought you might ask me what I would do as an immediate step to improve this education of our chil- dren. Senator PELL. I will ask you after you have finished your testimony and then Dr. Berry finishes hers. Admiral RICKOVER. Yes, sir. Senator PELL. She will have equal time. Admiral RIOKOvER. Changes in society have played a part in the deterioration of the quality of education. But I believe the primary blame for the decline rests squarely on the educational establishment. Many educators would have us believe that the. schools themselves have played no part in the decline of student ability. Self-deception is particularly rife in educational research. In 1965, the Coleman report, typical of many similar studies fi- nanced by the U.S. Office of Education, came to the startling conclu- sion that the socioeconomic status of a child's classmates was a more profound influence on his achievement than his teacher. This conclu- sion was astonishing because the offspring of countless uneducated immigrants today occupy leading positions in business, the profes- sions, public life, and the arts. Yet., influential educators, intellectuals, journalists, legislators, administrators, and judges quickly and un- critically accepted this hypothesis. Coleman's finding became the rationale for many efforts to require more racially balanced schools, and resulted in vast expenditures of PAGENO="0014" 10 public funds, political and racial arguments, and dislocations in school systems. Later investigation showed the data to have been misinter- preted and incorrectly evaluated. After years of support for and identification with the policy of mandatory racial balance as an edu- cational goal, Coleman, in 1975, subsequent to criticism of his thesis, changed his position. He not only dissociated himself from the legal and political decisions engendered by his report, but admitted that schools did, perhaps, make a difference in the achievement of children. Left to their own designs, educators, in the name of innovation, have made it possible for many students to avoid courses that would provide a solid grounding in the basic academic subjects of reading, writing, and mathematics. Studies have documented declines in enroll- ment in basic academic courses. In some cases, courses in basic skills have been supplanted by electives or extracurricular activity. In others, the total number of instructional hours per school year has declined. In an effort to instill more relevance in education, many schools have invested substantial resources in programs which seem directed more toward providing amusement than toward developing children's ability to sort facts and make intelligent decisions. Couched in the unintelligible jargon of systems analysis and other pseudosciences, these programs place a high priority on freedom of choice in course selection without first insuring that the choices are structured to meet academic needs. Much experimentation has focused on ways to give the student greater opportunity for "creativity." The ends to which this policy is taken are absurd. One school superintendent forbade the use of coloring books on the grounds that they force pupils to confine their artistic efforts within fixed lines. Another superintendent of a big city school system felt that since children were allowed to be creative at home, they should be allowed to be creative at school. The resultant milling around of children in the schools led to chaos. This was a predictable result, since most children are not competent to decide what is in their own best interest or how much creative freedom they should enjoy. This drift in educational thinking strikes at the very basis and fabric of society. Schools are fostering attitudes in students that ill prepare them for the harsh realities of the world. Take the idea that learning must be easy and preferably entertaining. This idea is cruel to the child and dangerous to society, for children grow up believing that they need not struggle to excel. The Germans have a good word to express ediication-"geschun- den"-used in the same sense as beating a horse. This applies to the education of young children. You can't let them along. In a way, they are still like little animals who have to be trained. Every mother knows that children need firm guidance, but the educationists don't seem to grasp t.his fact. In the attempt to make learning fun, and I believe to make them- selves popular, many teachers and administrators have deemphasized discipline. thought, and work habits, and stressed creativity, individ- uality, and "feeling," to the detriment of academic achievement. What this means in teaching English, for example, is the turning away from PAGENO="0015" 11 serious reading and closely reasoned writing. Students, especially at the high school level, are led to believe that oral and written expression need no real effort. Feelings are often placed ahead of language as the primary tool of expression. In consequence, students are cheated; they do not face the difficulties inherent in good writing, and do not develop the ability to write well. This approach may free instructors from tedious grading of papers and themes, however, it does not develop the necessary skills. After all, good writing is as difficult as dragging a heavy load of stone on a hot day under a low bridge. One of the truths of life is that if you want to influence others, it is not enough to know a subiect; you must also be able to express what you know. This is what makes the ability to write clearly a most valu- able skill. But many students simply do not value writing skill in a world that is predominantly technical. Teachers who hold gram- matical achievement in small esteem reinforce this notion. The "learning is easy" movement has also affected mathematics. In the late 1950's, "new math" was hailed as a revolutionary new method of teaching a subject that generations of children had found "distaste- ful" or "not fun." By abolishing the systematic progression from arithmetic through algebra and geometry, new math was supposed to make it easy for children to understand and enjoy mathematics. The results were predictable. The money spent in training teachers in the new math and rewriting textbooks was largely wasted. Millions of young Americans have learned something of sets, variables, and binary operations. But many have failed to learn the arithmetic needed to balance checkbooks or figure income taxes, and most have a poor foundation from which to move to higher mathematics, physics, and engineering. There is a passage. in the Talmud that reads: "The world is upheld by children who study." Learning can be interesting, rewarding, and exciting, but it requires effort. It is work! No learning takes place, just as no ditch gets dug, without work. Mental sweat is required of the student who would acquire the skills, concepts, and information necessary to master a course. Preaching the doctrine that learning should be easy implies that society has an obligation to make life easy, and promotes an already far too prevalent attitude against work. If our goal is to entertain our children, we can do so far more cheaply than by sending them to schools. Playgrounds would suffice. Despite growing disenchantment by many parents, teachers, and students with undisciplined learning and experimentation, these pro- grams continue to receive strong support from educational leaders. The new head of the U.S. Office of Education recently spoke of alter- native educational approaches for high school students, contending that children today "are more sophisticated." He attributed their ear- lier maturation to television and other factors. From my experience, many of today's students are academically immature and unsophis- ticated. "Alternative educational approaches," as they are called, should not detract from a school's primary mission of educating students in the basic skills. The following teacher's note on a report card, as it ap- peared in the Georgia Education Digest, best expresses this point: "Alvin excels in initiative, group integration, responsiveness, and ac- tivity participation. Now, if he would only learn to read and write." PAGENO="0016" 12 Teachers share in the blame for the condition of our schools today. If students had no teaching machines or visual aids, no buildings, counselors or administrators, they would still learn if they had com- petent teachers. As a group, today's graduates destined for teaching positions do not possess a solid academic background. Some education- ists hold the fallacious belief that expertise in classroom management can supplant knowledge. While classroom management, discipline, and presentation are important, they are no substitute for competence in the subject being taught. In Europe, teachers are required to know the subject matter. Those teaching above the elementary level have advanced degrees in their field. But, in this country, teachers are often not required to have a mastery of a subject they teach. What many States consider as important qualifications are the num- ber of education courses in teaching techniques-not competence or skill in subject matter. Restrictive State laws promote this view. In tod~iy~s climate, a smart prospective teacher will avoid an advanced degree because the higher salary it commands makes it more difficult to get a job. One publisher of science materials for junior and senior high schools touted his product as follows: "And it does not require specific subject background on the part of the Earth science teacher." In other words, the teacher does not need to know much Earth science in order to use these teaching materials. But, this problem is more widespread: foreign languages are taught in many high schools by those not fluent in them; geometry and algebra j~y those who know little mathematics. Most English teachers are literature majors who resent teaching writing skills or who are ufl- qualified to teach them. Studies have shown that, on the average prospective teachers ex- hibit the lowest academic ability of any major group in higher educa- tion. One study revealed the startling fact that, in terms of high school ačademic performance, teachers ranked above only one other group- that composed of students who dropped out of college with failing marks. This conclusion is supported by the Educational Testing Serv- ice which found that those taking the Graduate Record Exarninati~n in the field of education consistently made lower scores than those in any other field. Low ability, combined with second-rate training, means that many students finishing teacher education programs are not competent to teach. For instance, one Florida county, in l976~ found that one-third of the applicants for teaching jobs failed an eighth grade level general knowledge test. Confronted with such evidence, the State's Board of Regents decided to require professional competency tests before a prospective teacher can graduate from a State university. When unqualified people are admitted to the teaching ranks, their incompetency either goes unnoticed because of~ inadequate teacher performance measures. or, once discovered, the incompetent teacher is protected from removal by tenure. Today the laws are so restrictive in most States that superintendents and school boards seldom even try to dismiss incompetents. In a 23-year period, Cleveland. Ohio's, largest school system managed to dismiss only one tenured teacher. Over a 2-year period ending in March 1975. there were only 14 tenured teach- ers dismissed in the entire State of California. PAGENO="0017" 13 A rare exception occurred in April of this year when the school board in Goochland County, Va. fired an elementary school teacher on grounds of incompetence because of her atrocious grammar. The teacher, a veteran of 12 years in the Goochiand school system, was dismissed after a parent complained about the grammar in a third- and fourth-grade social studies guide the teacher had prepared for her students. Among the questions the teacher had prepared were these, repro- duced verbatim: "What did the sculpture told the archeologists?" "Why did the Maya sailed to other ports?" "How many names did each Maya had ?" "The grammar was atrocious," the school superin- tendent said: "I would just assume a college graduate wouldn't have this sort of weakness." With that comment, the superintendent hit upon the fundamental weakness in our approach to education in this country. We have all assumed that the $120 billion we spent in 1975 and all sums before it is resulting in well-educated children. To attract intelligent teachers, schools need to make teaching pro- fessional. Although many teachers are incompetent and probably paid more than they deserve, teachers' pay in general is not sufficiently high to attract topflight people to the profession. Labor agreements between school districts and teachers effectively rule out remuneration based on merit.. Extra stipends are payable for coaching or extra- curricular activities but not for classroom performance. Ideally, there should be a merit pay system or other means of recognizing excellence in teaching. The reward of watching young minds develop is not always enough to sustain lifetime dedication to teaching. Pay, however, does not guarantee performance. In the Federal Government and in private industry, there are many examples of people who, although well paid, do not perform to their capacity. However, parents can encourage schools to provide condi- tions more conducive to professional teaching. For example, at the high school level, because the teacher himself must handle large amounts of the clerical and administrative workload, there are great pressures on teachers to simplify tests and grading, minimize assign- ments, and avoid written work. It is not surprising in these circum- stances that true and false examinations or multiple choice tests tend to replace the written assignments so essential to the development of writing and reasoning skills. How many teachers are willing to devise comprehensive tests and assigi~ments when the.y must draft., type, and reproduce then-i essentially on their own time? The availability of administrative and clerical support for teachers would probably en- hance the quality `of education a.nd teacher morale than the investment of equivalent, funds in teacher salaries. On-the-job evaluation and training of teachers by experienced and competent supervisors is needed to rid our system of bad teaching. School teachers are among the most unsupervised workers in society. Many administrators never truly evaluate the teacher's performance on the job. The notion of academic freedom-of doutbful applicability to a high school-combined with the protection of tenure agree- ments, often results in each teacher determining on his own what subject matter should be taught and how it should be presented. My 95-038 0 - 77 - 2 PAGENO="0018" 14 experience has been that in any successful endeavor, those in charge must involve themselves in the details of day-to-day operations. I remember how a president of a California State university stood up and involved himself in day-to-day operations during the student unrest in the late 1960's. Whom do you think I am talking about, Mr. Chairman? By the way, he didn't use semantics on them, either. [Laughter.] Senator HAYAKAWA. Oh, yes, I did. [Laughter.] Admiral RICKOVER. The training of subordinates is one of the most important functions a person in charge must perform. In many schools, training of teachers consists only of granting them time off to attend conventions and symposia and requiring that they period- ically take college courses in subjects of interest to them. Even in schools where adequate training and supervision exists, an incompetent or uninterested teacher is so difficult to fire that administrators frequently do not make the effort. Academic programs must be better insulated from the unhealthy side effects of athletic programs and extracurricular activities. Even with the present surplus of teachers, the qualification to coach an athletic team frequently outweighs academic qualifications in filling teacher vacancies. Coaches or potential coaches, who may not be as well qualified academically as other applicants, are often selected to fill vacancies in such areas as social studies, mathematics, science, and English. In one Virginia county, for example, staff reductions are based on strict seniority with the most junior persons transferre.d first. Principals may exempt athletic coaches and sponsors of certain extracurricular activities from the practice, but excellence in the class- room is not a basis for exemption. If communities desire better edu- cation for their youth, academic consideration must be given prece- dence over athletics and extracurricular activities. Good teachers are essential to good education. Over 2,300 years ago, Plato said: I maintain that every one of us should seek out the best teacher he can find, first for ourselves, and then for the youth, regardless of expense or anything. This is good advice today. * In this country, neither the names of educational insttutmflS, nor their curricula, their diplomas, or degrees represent a definitive and known standard of intellectual accomplishment. There are a number of standardized achievement tests that show the relative standing of students and schools against national norms, but not how much a child knows in an absolute sense. It is small consolation to learn that you know more than your contemporaries about swimming if none of you can swim. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, a government- funded organization~ is now testing how much students actually know of various subjects and at various ~rade levels. But these tests are con- ducted on a statistical sampling basis and not given to all students. Moreover, no one has attempted to define how much a child should know at certain stages of his academic career. Historically, powerful lobbying organizations and unions-such as the National Education Association the American Association of School Administrators, and the American Federation of Teachers- PAGENO="0019" 15 have fought against efforts to measure the performance of teachers and school systems. They prefer the present system in which it is impos- sible to pinpoint responsibility. By far, the most important deficiency of our educational system is the absence of a professional tradition of self-correction. The scien- tist has to provide the results of his work to colleagues. The mark of any developed profession is the practice of correcting mistakes. But the educational establishment has no means to perform this function. The Office of Education will not do the job. One hundred and ten years ago, Congress created the Department of Education and charged it with broad responsibilities, including: Collecting such statistics and facts as shall show the condition and progress of education in the several States and territories, diffusing such information respecting the organization and management of schools and school systems, and methods of teaching, as shall aid the people of the United States in the establishment and maintenance of efficient school systems, and otherwise promote the cause of education throughout the country. Yet, in more than 100 years of existence, the Department of Educa- tion-now the Office of Education-has failed to come to grips with the need for proper accountability within the educational establish- ment. In my opinion, the National Education Association and other professional educators wield so much influence in the Office of Educa- tion that it is unable to act objectively and in the public interest. The burden thus falls on Congress and on this committee to act. I recommend, Mr. Chairman, that you and perhaps your counter- part in the House of Representatives appoint a panel of nationally prominent persons in representative walks of life to develop national scholastic standards. The standards should consist of specific, minimum competancy re- quirements for various levels-second grade, fourth grade, sixth grade, and so on. In addition, there should be a formal system of tests to show not only the relative standing of students and schools against national norms but also whether students meet the minimum competency re- quirements. This would provide a yardstick to measure academic per- formance-a means of assessing achievement of individual students, effectiveness of teachers, and overall academic attainment of schools. Summaries of test results by school, district, and State would enable parents and educators to measure where their schools stand relative t.o the national standards and to other schools in the country. For the first time, parents would have a means to hold teachers and schools accountable for the quality of their work. The States should be urged to adopt these standards and administer examinations. However, if local authorities do not provide the service, parents should be able to have their children tested against the na- tional standards at Government expense. Nothing in this proposal would violate the constitutional separation of powers between Federal and State governments, nor counter our tradition of local and State control of schools. I envisage the render- ing of a service, not regulation in any way, shape, or manner. The creation of national scholastic standards is the minimum step we must take. Lord Kelvin said: When you can measure what you are speaking about * * * you know some- thing about it; but when you cannot measure it, * * * your knowledge is of a meager and unsatisfactory kind. PAGENO="0020" 16 The need for national scholastic standards has been recognized by some national leaders. For example, in 1963, President Kennedy be- came interested in this proposal and asked for my recommendations. I-Ic sent my proposal to the Commissioner of Education for study by the Umvei'sity of Chicago and the Carnegie Foundation. The Presi- dent kept me informed of their progress. This effort ended with his untimely death. President Nixon. in his education message of March 3, 1970, also urged national standards as a means of measuring the effec- tiveness Qf schools. Yet today we are no closer to having these standards. The American public is becoming aware that our educational system needs correction. A poli taken in 1976 shows that, by a margin of 2 to 1, Americans are of the opinion that all students should be re- qmred to pass ~i standard nationwide examination to qualify for a high school diploma. A few States have made preliminary attempts to set records. However, these efforts cannot substitute for national standards. Our States and Congress have been most generous in providing funds for the educ.ation of our children. Our per capita expenditure for education is greater than that. of any other country in the world. But neither the States nor Congress has exercised adequate oversight of how the money has been spent. The impetus must come from Congress to see that national stand- ards are set. Congress cannot rely on the Office of Education. If Con- gress lives up to its responsibility and sees that standards are set, I believe the public will demand their adoption by the education community. We would be wise to heed the words of Aristotle who said that the chief concern of the lawgiver must be the education of the young. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This completes my statement. Senator PELL. Thank you, Admiral Rickover, for the excellent and strong and provocative statement. I must say that the legislation Senator Cooper and I introduced in 1969, if my colleagues in the Congress had a.pproved of it, would have done very much what you said. It would have provided at least the option of a standard exam- ination for all high school graduates, not a mandatory one for get.tng a degree. But even that preliminary step I was unable to get through. All that we could get through was councils set up at the national and State level to improve the quality of education. These were never implemented. So I have been down this road with you and am disappointed at my lack of success. Admiral RICK0vER. So am I, sir. I appreciate what you have done. Senator PELL. I thought probably we would let Dr. Berry make her statement first. Then we could talk to both witnesses, Senator Haya- kawa, unless you have a statement you would like to make at this time. Senator HAYAKAWA. I would like to hear our next witness. Senator PELL. All right. Dr. Berry, would you proceed? PAGENO="0021" 17 Dr. BERRY. All right. Senator PELL. If I may add how delighted I am to have Dr. Berry, who is the top Federal official responsible for education, the Assistant Secretary of Education, who has beeii willing to come on the firing line in this very sensitive subject, I hope that people in responsible positions such as hers will continue to be on the firing line this way. She is the former chancellor of the University of Colorado and for- mer provost of behavioral and social sciences at the University of Maryland. I am indeed happy to welcome her here and look forward to hearing her proceed. STATEMENT OF DR. MARY BERRY, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION, EDUCATION DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, A~D WELFARE Dr. BERRY. Thank you, Senator Pell and Senator Hayakawa. It is a pleasure to appear before this subcommittee to discuss Ad- miral Rickover's proposal-and you were quite correct, I am on the firing line, as it turns out. We share Admiral Rickover's concern about the quality of educa- tion, and we are grateful for his efforts in the past and we know that now- Senator PELL. Excuse me. Can you hear in the back of the room? [A chorus of noes.] Senator PELL. Could you move the microphone a little closer? OK. Thank you. Dr. BERRY. I'll start over. You were right, indeed. I am on the firing line. I am pleased to appear before the subcommittee to discuss Admiral Rickover's proposal. This hearing can be taken as a tribute to him and the many years in which he has contributed to the national concern for the quality of education. Increased public awareness of this central issue is in part due to his efforts. The Department and I are as concerned about the quality of educa- tion as Admiral Rickover, and we are open to new ways of pui~uing his goal of raising the intellectual level of every child in the country. We will consider the specific proposals that he made today, as we continue discussions in the Department on the means of improving the quality of education for all children. In the interest of time, I will not actually read my statement, but I will simply address some of the points that he made, so that we might have time, therefore, to- Senator PELL. Then I will ask your permission and my colleagues' permission to put your statement in full in the record. I have had a chance to go over it. I think it is a fine statement, and it should be included in full. `Without objection, it will be incorporated into the record at the conclusion of your testimony. Dr. BERRY. Thank you. First of all, we share the goal of achieving quality in education, and in fact, I agree with most of the statement made by Admiral Rick- over as he described the problems that exist in education today in the country. PAGENO="0022" 18 But there are problems when you try to reach solutions. First I want to talk about what the problems are, and then I want to suggest some things that we might be able to do to remedy them. Everyone in the country wants better education. The principal question is, what is better. We do not, in my opinion, have a national consensus on what exactly every child in the country ought to learn in every school system. We might be able to do that in some areas where there is con- sensus-for example on the need for reading and mathematics. But there are a lot of other areas where different school systems teach different things, by virtue of choices made in the community. The high school curriculum in this country, for example, is diverse and special- ized. So I do not think that in every area, even if we conceded to the validity of examinations and tests, that we would be able to reach a consensus about just exactly what it is that we should test to make education better. Second, I don't think there is any lack of enthusiasm or initiative for educational reform in the country at this time. All wisdom, of course, does not flow from the Federal Government or the Education Division or even the Office of Education. Educational reform is alive and well in all the States in this country, as evidenced by the great interest that is being taken in it, and as evidenced by the movement toward competency examinations that you described at the outset, Senator Pell. So, we don't need to worry. indeed, about citizens being concerned about this issue and taking steps in their local communities to work with this issue. I do believe that while there may be no constitutional issue raised by the imposition of national standards on an optional basis, Admiral Rickover's proposal may run counter to the notion of local control and local agreement about what ought to be offered and about the tests which ought to be made and the standards that ought to be upheld in the local schools. Since the States are taking the problem seriously. I am not sure that we ought at this time, to interfere. The other point is that I am not sure that a system of national examinations would encourage students to aspire to work harder or make better grades. I'm not sure about that. It may be true for some students. It may be true that, for example, the Office of Education's Presidential scholars program which was instituted in 1964, is an incentive for some students to work harder, so that they can be selected for this program, which is an honor for them. But I am not sure that it works for all students. Some students come from a culture that makes them not interested in diplomas, just for the sake of diplomas, or just because there are paper credentials that indicate that they have somehow met a high standard. They may need a different kind of motivation-for example, a lob might be a better motivation than a certain kind of a diploma. I don't know what the answers are in this situation, but I do know that there is a difference of opinion among scholars about what, in fact, does motivate students. The other point is that, certainly~ university admissions officers and employers need to know which students are qualified. Testing may be one way to tell whether they are qualified when they go into the job market or go to the university. But qualifications do depend on a num- PAGENO="0023" 19 ber of items and it is generally conceded or admitted by scholars who work in this area, that test scores are not the only way to measure the quaFfications of an individual. Tests are under general, attack by scholars and researchers as the admiral conceded in his testimony. If we could determine what the qualifications were in all cases, I would be the first to recommend that we all insist that everyone at least attempt to meet those standards and those qualifications. NIE, the National Institute of Education, has a research program under way at the present time to develop better methods of assessing stu- dents and determining standards. We are not sure what we are test- ing in all cases, and I think we would have to be sure before we were to set up a national standard, which by virtue of its very existence, would lead people to believe that there was validity, great validity toit. It is said that national examinations would tell lay people whether their schools were `doing a good job or not. But there you have the problem of validity again. Even if the tests were valid, the ability of schools to influence what happens to students, depends on a number of factors. One may be the ability of the students who enter the school. A school that has very high standards and does a good job, may have some very low ability or mediocre students who enter it, and in spite of all the school does, they may end up making lower scores. This does not necessarily mean that there is a fault with the teachers. It also depends on the goal of the school-what is the particular school trying to do; different schools may have different goals. I am not saying that it is impossible to use test scores to evaluate schools-I am just saying that these factors would have to be taken into account if one were to head in this direction. On the point of telling lay people about the condition of education in the country, I think we do that already. We tell them, through the national assessments, run by the National Center for Education Sta- tistics, as the admiral pointed out. The national assessment tells people about the condition of education in the country. They do this in a way that is not regarded as intrusive by people in the States, because it tells us what our young people know about certain coping skills, with- out certifying local schools or without assessing or evaluating what- ever it is that local people ought to be doing in their schools. It is true that the national assessment uses a statistical sample. If the Appro- priations Committee loved the National Center for Education statistics as much as the Authorizing Committee does, we might have more funding available and I'm sure we would be happy to test every per- son in the country instead of using a statistical sample. But the na- tional assessment's sample has been scientifically drawn. We think that its results are accurate and that it does do a fine job in terms of reporting on the knowledge possessed by persons at this time. Another measure, of course, is to compare what we do in this country-and the knowledge that is possessed by people who graduate from our schools-with what goes on in other countries in the world. The Department has funded a number of surveys in the last few years comparing the achievement of students in this country with other countries. The general conclusion that is reached from these surveys is that when groups are basically alike in age, grade, and PAGENO="0024" 20 representativeness of their respective popu'ations, there is with few exceptions very little difference in performance between students of one developed country and another. Included in that group of coun- tries are some where they were very selective in terms of who goes on to secondary school, for example, and other countries where they were nonselective as we are. But there were no widespread and im- portant differences, that were found in this particular survey. Currently, the National Institute of Education is contributing to the cost of planning a new survey in mathematics. Now, all of this may seem to you, not to comport with the reality of the concern about declining test scores and the state of education in the country and may sound to you, like a defense of what presently exists, but it is not. It is simply pointing out that if we are to move to a proposal of this sort-and we will continue to examine it in the Department-that we have to take care that whatever standards we set are standards about which we can have agreement, and that we will know what we are testing. Now, how do we reach that position? I think that we should find ways, through research and evaluation and development, to determine what tests are supposed to tell us and how we should go about using them. I think, for example, that it is shocking that in the Federal Government, we spend about $10.8 billion on educational programs and only about one-half of 1 percent of that amount for research and development. Since I have been in Washington, everyone here, even people who run the programs, tell me we are not really sure whether the programs do what they are supposed to do or whether they are in fact helping education when the evidence of decline is all around us. I think that we should con- tinue the programs, but we ought to be willing to invest more money in research and evaluation and then to disseminate the results of the research in a way that they can be helpful to the people who must rńn the schools. I think we ought also to encourage the States in their efforts to find ways to test competency. We ought to give them advice, technical assistance-help them, encourage them-but we must remember that they do have a responsibility to the great diversity of students in the school population, and that they must find ways to effectively teach all individuals. It would not be enough to simply fail people on corn- pčtency tests or not give them a diploma and kick them out into the streets. That would be a failure of responsibility on the educator's part; it is their responsibilities to teach those who need teaching. We ought to encourage them in that job. We should recognize that a major problem for teachers is not know- ing how to cope with those populations that they are teaching now. Some of these populations, 50 or 100 years ago, would not have been in school. Teachers need help in figuring out how to teach such groups. I do most certainly a~rree that to have a student accept a diploma without an education is futile, useless, and self-defeating. We ought to do something about it. What we can do is to develop more knowledge and information, disseminate this information and eive more help to those people in the States, who are concerned about the issue. PAGENO="0025" 21 So, we are concerned; we worry about the quality of education. I am concerned. We will evaluate the Admiral's proposal as well as others as we go along, but I did want to raise these caveats as we pursue the discussion. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Senator PELL. Madam, thank you very much, indeed. I have several questions that I want to ask and I will then turn to my colleague. Then I'll come back to more of my own questions. First, addressing Admiral Rickover, what would be your recom- mendation in regard to television? How should we handle this problem? I agree with you that it is the opiate of the masses. Admiral RICKOvER. Well, I will discuss it primarily from the stand- point of the education of children, because children are the most valuable asset we have. If I were a parent, I would take a hammer in my right hand, or if I was left-handed, I would take the hammer in my left hand, and swing at the television tube and hit it. That would be the best thing we could do for the education of American children. Dr. BERRY. I would not agree with that. [Laughter.] Admiral IRIcK0vER. I'm sure you wouldn't. [Laughter.] Dr. BERRY. I happened to be present at a meeting with the "Presi- dential Scholars" who are the gifted and talented kids that I just talked about. We were at the White House and the President made a statement to them, which was one of the most eloquent statements I have heard, on the subject of television, when he was asked the same question that you have just asked. His response-and I agree with his response-not because he is the President, but because of what he said-which is that television has been a great learning tool. It has brought a kind of culture and civilization-albeit popular culture, to people in places where they would never have known about the realities of some of the things that exist in the world, if there had been no television. The problem with television is its use in promoting educational values. So I would think that we~ need to work on changing approaches in programing and finding ways to use television as a tool to educate people, as opposed to getting rid of it. Senator PELL. Dr. Berry I agree with you that television could be used from some good program the way it is used in foreign and European countries. But, do you think, on balance, that television, as it presently is, with its present mix of programs, commercials and recommendations to smoke or drink or whatever, may be-do you think that the American people have gained more from television as it is today or lost more Dr. BERRY. In terms of the way it is today, I would think, on balance, we have probably gained more. That does not mean that we do not need reform-and I certainly would support funding different programing approaches to be used for an educational purpose. But take for -example-depending on what side of the issue you are on-and I know you are on the right side-the whole civil rights PAGENO="0026" 22 movement. Television brought the people a view of something that they would not have seen otherwise, and contributed greatly to the development of a great social reform movement in this country. In terms of building awareness among people, I think overall in the last 20 years, there have been gains. However, those social gains have to be balanced against most of what is on television, which is not educational and which seems to me. to be valueless in terms of edu- cating people. I would think, therefore, we would need to reform that. Senator PELL. Of course, before the Civil War, 110 years ago, they fought about the cause of civil rights without the benefit of television and radio. Now, I would like to return to a statistic of Admiral Rickover's when he mentioned that the quality of teachers as a group was less than that of any other group, except those who dropped out of col- lege, will you give me a citation for that? Admiral RIcK0vEE. Yes, sir. You will find it in Koerner's book. Senator PELL. Whose book? Admiral RICK0vER. Dr. Koerner. I will get the exact `title for you, Mr. Chairman. [The title of the book is "The Miseducation of Ameri- can Teachers," by James D. Koerner.] Senator PELL. All right. Admiral RICKOVER. May I comment further on television? Senator PELL. Sure. Admiral RICKOVER. Dr. Berry was talking about the efficacy of tele- vision in a political content-about civil rights. I understood that the question you asked me was about television as it pertains to the education of our children. I restriced my answer to this Specific area. Television programing is determined `too much by profit to serve as a useful educational tool. Although television occasionally includes something of use to the children, its overall impact is detrimental to their education. Mr. Chairman, I am saddened by Dr. Berry's testimony. I have great respect for Dr. Berry and I'm sure she has good intentions. But *to paraphrase a well-known passage in the Bible: The voice is the voice of Dr. Berry, but the words are the words of the U.S. Office of Education. ,`As a result, she sounds like a typical bureaucrat talking: "We know what to do-mother knows best" or, if somebody comes in with a new idea, "we will consider it." Furthermore, I was addressing my views on education to a com- mittee of the Senate. riot to the U.S. Office of Education. Now I am told that the U.S. Office of Education will consider my proposal. I would never have the temerity or lack of wisdom to approach the Office of Education with my recommendations for improving educa- tion. I know what kind of "consideration" my ideas would receive. [Laughter.] Admiral RicicovEn. On a daily basis, I am engaged in serious work, on which the survival of people depends, on which the fate of the United States may depend. PAGENO="0027" 23 Can you imagine, Mr. Chairman, that if anyone comes `to me with an idea, I would not listen to them? I welcome ideas from both inside and outside my organization. My work is being `done all day long by a series of heated arguments and discussions in which each person must prove the validity of hi's ideas and not hide behind the authority of his office. Nature knows no rank. Dr. BERRY. If I may respond to the admiral, Senator Pell- Senator PELL. All right. Dr. BERRY. I think I did point out that when I said we would con- sider the proposal, that we will. The Office of Education, by the grace of Senator Peli and others, is only one agency in the Education Divi- sion of HEW. And when I said we would consider it, I meant that I would consider it., the staff of my office would consider it, NIE would consider it, the Secretary would consider it; we would all consider it, and not just the. Office of Education. Second, we certainly do not think all wisdom resides in the Federal Government or that we in fact know what to do. Precisely, the point of my testimony was that I share your views about the problem, but I don't know precisely what to do. I was simply pointing out some of the problems with some of the ideas that had been proposed, and said that as we looked at this, we would try to figure out ways to resolve those problems. Admiral RIcKOvi~R. I do agree that all wisdom does not reside in the Office of Education. I certainly agree with that. [Laughter.] Senator PELL. Well, I would follow up that with a question. Why didn't the Office of Education or HEW-and you do not bear the burdens of previous predecessors-but for all the years that you have had a portion of my legislation in effect, a portion that sets up a council on quality in education, it has never been implemented and is not yet implemented. As far as I know, there is no intention of im- plementing it on the part of this administration. Dr. BERRY. I wouldn't say t.hat there is no intention to implement it on the part of this administration. Senator PELL. I am delighted to hear that. Do you think-I'm serious-do you think it has a chance of being implemented? Dr. BEuRY. I will look at it and I will respond, and yes, it does have a chance if it is still law. Senator PELL. Thank you. Because it is law-it is part B, section 541 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and it is like the whale's `legs tucked in from the original bill, which called for this optional test. I would be very interested in your response to this question. Dr. BERRY. Yes. I will respond. Senator PELL. One thing that concerned me, Dr. Berry, in your statement, and that is your thought that local schools, or a school board, should have the basic decision of what they are going to know. Are there not certain common elements that every educated person should have, that is, the ability to read, to express himself gram- matically in writing, and to do adding and subtracting and simple PAGENO="0028" 24 division? Couldn't these elements-these are the oniy elements that I am talking about-be the subject of some kind of national test? Dr. BERRY. Well- Senator PELL. Let me finish that thought. Do you imagine anybody having a high school diploma who does not possess these elementary or these basic elements-and I'm not talking about other things such as chemistry or foreign language, ballroom dancing or how to cook-home economics. These three would have to be, I would think, part of the arsenal-the weapons in the arsenal of any young person going forth in life today. Dr. BERRY. I would agree with you. Perhaps I didn't make myself clear. I think there is consensus about some matters, for example, that those three subjects you mentioned are subjects where we should have competency. I think there are other areas where there is no consensus or where there may not be. a consensus. In respect to those areas, I think there ought to be local control. On the issue of the reading and the mathematical skiUs, where there is some consensus-and we~ would all agree that people need to have these skills-the problem for me is trying to figure out exactly how to capture those competencies, what the tests ought to be and how to have everyone in every jurisdiction agree that they would like the tests in a specific form. I point out that the reason why-or one of the reasons why in those States where such minimum competency exams have been legislated the legislation has not been fully implemented, is that they are in- volved in discussions about what kinds of tests to give, exactly what should be in them, and how they can be sure that these tests will tell them exactly what they want to know. In that regard, I think our role ought to be to give the States advice, encourage them, and I1elp them. But the very confusion and the delay in implementing these exams is an expression of the concern about making sure that the tests accurately reflect what they want to be learned, what everyone agrees shou'd be learned, and finally that they are fair to all students. Senator PELL. But wouldn't it be possible for you to design, purely, on an optional basis, so that only on applicaton could the tests be mailed out, a test that contains these elements? Surely there should be no argument about the arithmetic portions of the test. I can't be- lieve that there should be a difference in the requirement between Illinois to Florida to Rhode Island to California. You could add into that, I would think, grammatical sentences-the question would be "What are these sentences about?" There must be some common de- nominators that you could have grammatical sentences from-"I went down to the Safeway and bought two of this and two of that," and express yourself that way. And finally, from the viewpoint of comprehension, I agree that the comprehension of a middle income youngster will be about differ- ent subjects than the youngster from the ghetto area of the city. So we should avoid questions to the middle income youngster like, "What do you do if you see rats in the living room" and the youngster in the ghetto area, "What do you do with a tulle dress" or something. There must be some way that you, with the NIE, could devise some- thing of that sort. PAGENO="0029" 25 Dr. BERRY. Perhaps one could do that-what you suggested. Senator PELL. Why didn't they do it? Why don't they have it available? Dr. BERRY. Perhaps we will. The way the Federal Government has operated in the past on these issues is to wait to see what each State has developed and to come up with some composite kind of view describing what the States are doing. I don't disagree with you. I think that it should be possible. Senator PELL. It should be available on an optional basis. I think this would start a motion that there would then be one or two or three local school boards in California or Rhode Island, that would say, "Let's try this". Because they tried it on an optional basis, other schools in the same area, in the spirit of competition, will want to do the same thing. You would then be doing what the Federal Government should be doing for education, doing it on a voluntary basis, and just having it available. And we in the Congress and those in the educational field would go around the country making speeches to local groups to try this test and see what the results of it are. I think this would, in turn, help. But, I would defer now, to the one educator on our committee, former President Hayakawa, and would be very interested in his comments and questions. Senator HAYAKAWA. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe, Dr. Berry, that these tests already do exist and they have existed for a long, long time. There are tests in arithmetic that you have to get through-for example, tests in addition that you have to get through before you go on to multiplication. There are tests in multiplication you have to go through in order to get to division; then tests in division you have to go through in order to go to square roots, and so on. All these tests exist-there is no question about what they mean and what the right answers are, and it seems to me, on the basis of a lot of cash spent on education, that the reason they are not used, and I would like to check this against your experience, is that teachers are determined that they shall not be used, because if they are used, then "teacher A" will be shown to be clearly inferior to "teacher B" and "teacher B" will be shown to be clearly inferior to "teacher C." And then you have a basis for a classification, and therefore, discriminatory treatment of the better teachers as opposed to the worst teachers. And teachers are a solid union in defense of their colleagues. And I have found that in every damn department I have ever worked in and I find it appalling in this respect. As a member of the English Department at San Francisco State, I repeatedly tried to provide the department t.o agree on certain standards of grammatical competence t.hat we should expect from students before they pass freshman English. I could not get to first base. And-well, I do not need to put. in my own autobiography, but I resigned, the year I got. my tenure the first time. because I thought it was such a. miserable system, because once you get tenure, you are involved in this system of mutual self-protection. PAGENO="0030" 26 There really is no problem for the U.S. Office of Education or any- body else to get together and say, "Look, this is what constitutes a fifth grade education or this is what constitutes adequacy in arith- metic, so you ca*n go on to algebra; this is how much algebra you have to know before you go on to trigonometry; this is how much trigo- nometry you have to know before you can go on to engineering, et cetera." And these are all clearly established objective facts. And the fact that there is not the same degree of objectivity in history or social science `or English, this does not preclude any individual from de- manding of any school system, those elementary requirements of being able to write a simple English sentence or to add a column of figures. You don't have to have a U.S. Office of Education to be able to present and say the prices on a grocery list. You have gone and bought the following things-now how much is that going to total up to? And these are high school graduates who cannot add up the sum of a grocery list, and I don't know why we have this hesitation by the State boards of education, U.S. Boards of Education, city boards of education to make this requirement. Now what is wrong with our profession, Dr. Berry? Dr. BERRY. I am not- Senator HAYAKAWA. We have used all types of social statements, saving that these people are deprived- Dr. BERRY. Right. Senator HAYAKAWA. But we never had that used on us. We were everyday kids. We didn't speak English, some of us-but that didn't excuse us one damn bit. We had to learn square roots when it came time to learn square roots, and so on. Dr. BERRY. Well, I would encourage, as you do, parents to insist that their local school boards do, in fact, see to it that their children are taught. Senator HAYAKAWA. Dr. Berry, parents do insist on it, and those who can afford to, find their insistence gets nowhere, so they took them out and sent them to private schools, but those who cannot afford it are stuck, with that conspiracy of mediocrity that constitutes the damn teaching profession. Dr. BERRY. Well, Senator, you are at liberty to say that and I am not. [Laughter.] Senator HAYAKAWA. Anyway, Mr. Chairman, the complete slug- gishness, the immoveability of the educational system is something over which I really despair. We will go over and over and over it again, as it is Admiral Rickover's despair, I'm sure, and I really do not know what to do about it. We cannot abolish the tenure system, but I think that would be a first step. And what Admiral Rickover says about teacher evaluation-if we had to-if teachers were also grocers and they had to hire our own students as grocery clerks, we would certainly improve our teaching methods. As it is now, grocers have to teach arithmetic to their own clerks that they hire. And there seems to be no system by means of which peer evaluation-and when I became president of San Francisco State, I was shocked to learn that when a department sent you a list of people to be promoted from assistant professor to associate professor, the dean was supposed to say OK and then the vice president for academic affairs was supposed PAGENO="0031" 27 to say OK and the president was supposed to sign it and say OK. No one reviewed that. Well, after I became president, I sent back eight names and said I refused to sign this promotion recommendation. I refuse to recommend it clearly and I say to stop it right there. My God, all hell broke loose. [Laughter.] All hell broke loose. And there was a demonstration, there was chanting, there were parades and delegations to my office-they did not have tenure-none of these eight people had tenure. They did not deserve to be promoted from assistant to associate professor. If I could have promoted them, they would have had tenure. but I wanted to stop it right there. Even before they had tenure, that self-protection goes on and this is the way it is at the university and at the school system level. When are we going to, as a teaching profession, say to our youn teaching assistants or young instructors, "Look, you are not goo enough, so go find a job somewhere else." We don't. We just take them in and protect them for the rest of their lives. Don't we? Dr. BERRY. Yes. Admiral RICK0vER. Mr. Chairman, may I ask a question? Senator PELL. Please. Admiral RICK0vER. First, I would like to say that, from what Sena- tor Hayakawa said, I think he has read a book on semantics. [Laughter.] Admiral RICKOVER. Furthermore, I can now understand why the parents of the State of California elected him and I think he has a message for any aspiring politician today. I would like to comment on one statement made by Dr. Berry, about the comparison of education in America and foreign countries. Dr. Berry, what percentage of illiteracy do you think there is in Japan or in Norway or in Sweden? What do you think? Do you know what the figures are? Dr. BERRY. Very low. Admiral RICKOVER. You made a. positive statement that our-that education in this country was just as good as anywhere else. Dr. BERRY. But I- Admiral RICKOVER. I should think in your position that you would know the rate- Dr. BERRY. But- Admiral RICKOVER. What is the rate of illiteracy in this country? Dr. BERRY. That is not that I said. Admiral RICKOvER. What is the rate of illiteracy in the United States? Do you know? Dr. BERRY. First of all, very low. Admiral RICKOVER. Very little? I don't understand the term "very little." In engineering, I cannot use. such expressions as "significant" and "very little." Senator PELL. Let us take a very short pause here. IA short recess.] Senator PELL. Thank you. PAGENO="0032" 28 I would ask that we state in the record at this point, the available statistics-the staff will collect those on illiteracy. Are we talking about functional illiteracy or full illiteracy? Admiral RICK0vER. May I comment, sir? Senator PELL. Right. Admiral RIcKovER. We have about 20 percent. functional illiteracy among adults in the United States. In Japan, they have far less than 1 percent. I think the last time they were looking for one illiterate in Sweden, they could not find him. [Laughter.] Since literacy is the entire foundation of education, I should think that someone who is the senior education official for the Federal Gov- ernment should know more about it than a naval officer. Dr. BERRY. And I would rejoin by saying, that just as you pointed out to me, to say "very little" is not mathematically precise, to say that in Sweden, they could not find one is not that precise. [Laughter.] Dr. BERRY. But I did want to point out, Senator Pell, that the issue of exactly how much illiteracy there is is not germane to the point I made in my testimony. `The point I made is that when the student groups are basically alike in age, grade, and representativeneSs of their own respective national population there was very little differ- ence in performance between the students from one developed coun- try and another. And that is what I said. But, I would be happy to provide more clarification and to check the figures on illiteracy and all the rest of it. Senator PELL. I would ask that the staff pull together from the Library of Congress, the figures that are available through UNESCO, of the 20 most technologically advanced nations in that regard. I would think that in connection with the question of what system of education-France is probably the most centralized system. There you know at 11:15 on a Tuesday morning, exactly what every young- ster is studying. I am not particularly recommending that system, but certainly, France. is a country which has always produced many diverse viewpoints and cultures. I cannot help but recall the time of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, when I was in charge of the International Rescue Committee operation. At the time, I remember that these Hungarian youngsters who came to American schools, as soon as they had learned English, in spite of having received their earlier education under the Communist system, which obvously had drawbacks, were usually about 2 years ahead of our own youngsters. And the same thing applies, I notice, with yougsters coming out of schools in Europe now. I have a nephew who finished school in Scotland and jumped in as a sophomore~ when he went to college here. I think that as a rule, at least in Western Europe, the average education seems to be a litt1~ higher than it is with us. Do we agree on that premise? Dr. BERRY. I can only give you, again, the results of the survey, and to say that- Admiral RICK0vER. Mr. Chairman, I can comment on that question. Dr. BERRY. I'm sure you can, Admiral. PAGENO="0033" 29 [Laughter.] Admiral RicicovEn. The educational level reached in Western Euro- pean secondary schools is about equivalent to 2 years in a good Amen- can college. I wrote a book on Swiss education which the Swiss Government considered to be the best book ever written by a foreigner on that country's education. Senator PELL. Probably the only one. [Laughter.] Admiral RIcI~ovER. It is written in English, by the way. [Laughter.] Every year they have an examination of all their graduates before they all have, compulsory military service, and they are given a. long examination, lasting several hours. I sat in on that examination, although I was a foreigner. I heard the kind of questions that were asked, and I was allowed to ask questions myself. First, they all knew two foreign languages, aside from anything else. It was marvelous to talk to those youngsters, and anyone who can sit here and say that the graduates of our high schools are equal to those of the. Western European high schools, simply does not know what she is talking about. Dr. BERRY. Tha.t is not what I said. Senator PELL. Excuse me. I think also we ought to keep in mind, the difference in our systems. In Europe, the hoch schule-the gymnasium-only a portion of the youngsters go to those schools. There, as you point out, they come over considerably more advanced than ours, but t.he majority of youngsters over there do not. go on. The majority of people in Switzer- land as you imow-that are~ working-do not speak more t.han their own Swiss-German or French. It is the educated gymnasium-hoch schule graduates who speak more than one language. I cannot tell you the number of times I have been in Switzerland and found people there who don't know any language but German, which I do not know. Admiral RICKOVER. Yes, sir. But I think you will find that a Europea.n graduate of 8 years schooling knows much more. than his counterpart in the United States. The other false statistic which is paraded around the. United States is that about 40 percent of our students go to college and only about 5 percent in WTestern Europe. However, European universities are really equivalent to our graduate schools, not our undergraduate col- leges. I think you will find the enrollment in U.S. graduate schools and European universities to be about the same. Senator PELL. Why Admiral Rickover, would you have the Con- gress establish the National Standards Committee rather than the executive branch of the Government? I do not really think of this as a congressional function, although I realize you have been disillusioned by the Office of Education. Admiral RICKOvER. When a captain of a submarine that demon- strates two or three times, that lie is incompetent, we replace him. But you cannot. replace the U.S. Office of Educat.ion. As the witness-told you and as I stated previously, she was talkino' for the Office of Education and not for herself. The Office of Educa~ tion will take your money and conduct many experiments, but they 95-038 0 - 77 - 3 PAGENO="0034" 30 are invaded by and obligated to the educational establishment, Senator Hayakawa related his personal experience dealing with the educa- tional establishment, which, I believe, corroborated what I said in my testimony. Any fairly intelligent person can tell whether a witness. is talking for himself or for his institution. The reason I get along with Congress is that I have always told them what I really thought. Until there is a drastic reorganization of the Office of Education, with people with an entirely different viewpoint and philosophy, there iS absolutely no use: in depending on them. I have to deal with real things in this world. An atomic submarine either works or it does not work. It has millions of parts, and if they do not work, it can sink and its crew will perish. I am responsible for 117 operating nuclear ships in the Navy-for their technical operation, for the operation of their atomic powerp~ants. They all work. We have never had a single radiation casualty in the equivalent of about 1,500 years of operation. There is truth. What can the Office of Education show for their efforts? All they can show you is that they come out each year and ask for more money for research. And that is just exactly what you were told a short time ago-"Give us more money for research"-as if research of the kind that they foster will ever do a~ damn thing for this country or for the world for education. You know that as well as I do. You are )ust being polite. I am not because I believe in telling the truth. [Laughter.] Senator PELL. If you could give us an idea, Admiral, of what the elements are in the standardized test- Admiral RICK0vER. Yes, sir. I am glad you asked that question. The elements would be very simple. Testing would cover the basic subjects-reading, mathematics, and writing, and such other subjects, which a nationally recognized group, not myself, would think that an average grammar school or high school graduate should know. I am not talking about music. I am talking about the things that an American citizen should know to be a viable person in this economy. When you see a statistic that half of the people in this country do not know that there is an energy crisis, that should cause us to stop and ask about the quality of our school system. Senator PELL. Would not a voluntary test, a test that is available at no cost to the taxpayer and school, on at least three of those things-reading, writing and arithmetic, being available to high schools on a voluntary basis be a step in the right direction? Admiral RIOK0vER. Yes, sir. Senator PELL. Just as public opinion supported Senator Hayakawa in the last election, public opinion in the community would have these tests be administered. If one school district did it, others would follow, and follow and follow. And would that not be a step in the right direction? Admiral RlcKovin. Yes, sir. Senator PELL. And along that line, should we not take some com- fort from the expression of the Assistant Secretary, that she would- I thought I detected that she would give serious thought to the idea of making such a test available and having it marked by the NIE. PAGENO="0035" 31 Dr. BERRY. Bight. I did say that. I said two things-I said that and I also said that, when I go back to look at it, if the Council on the Quality of Education still exists in the land, we will look into setting it up. I said two things. Senator PELL. Out of this hearing, really, I think a considerable amount of breakthroughs may be achieved. One, if we do not anger Dr. Berry too much, we may find that a voluntary test on the three areas-and I think, fairly, Admiral Rick- over, we ought to settle for that, at the beginning-that that kind of test would start being used, and that would be one real step along. Admiral RICKOVER. That would be, sir. This is the first admission in history by the U.S. Office of Educa- tion, that someone other than a legal member of the educational es- tablishment can have any worthwhile idea on education. So I am very grateful for small favors. However, I question that a test which is the entire responsibility of the U.S. Office of Education will do the job. They are too closely allied with the educational establishment and its big lobbying organi- zations which have officially stated their opposition to standardized testing. Are you aware of that, Senator? Senator PELL. Yes. Admiral RICKOVER. They have said that testing is undemocratic and some other word. Senator PELL. Elitest is the word. Admiral RICK0vER. Elitest is the word-right. Dr. BEnny. Well, I would point out to Senator Pell and to the Admiral, that the proposal is to have the NIE, the National Institute of Education, handle the test, and not the Office of Education, if that gives us any confidence. Admiral RIOKOVER. Yes, but you finance that office, do you not? Senator PELL. It comes under the Assistant Secretary, and for that reason, her thoughts to this are worth a great deal. A test like that would not cost too much to administer. Could that be done out of your budget, administratively, or not? Dr. BERRY. I do not know. I dare not commit to that until I go back to look at it. Senator PELL. I will do all I can as chairman of the authorizing subcommittee to be supportive. Dr. BERRY. Yes. Senator PELL. I can be supportive in this direction, since I have the capacity. Senator HAYAKAWA. And I think it is very important that as this idea moves forward, that nobody get credit for it, because the only way an idea will really move is if everyone feels it is their idea. Admiral RICKOVER. I must say that I cannot see the U.S. Office of Education ever leading a campaign to educate our children. Senator PELL. I disagree with you. I have been working with them for some years. I have had my disappointments, but I have never felt better than I do right now, when I see this idea which we talked about 10 years ago, whith you PAGENO="0036" 32 have been working on 20 or 30 years-that we have seen a little motion here today and that is more than I have seen in 10 years. Admiral RIcK0vER. Yes, sir. You are correct. This is the greatest accomplishment of.the U.S. Office of Education in .110 years. [Laughter.] Senator HAYAKAWA. Mr. Chairman, as is very clear, I have been somewhat moved by the testimony given by the Admiral and by Dr. Berry, and I would like to say something to you, Mary Berry, rather than the spokesperson for the educational establishment. You are now Assistant Secretary for Education. You are really the top of the ladder insofar as the. whole educational establishment is concerned. You do not have to pay any attention to them any more. You are the boss. You are the top. You do not have. to yield to the pressure of any American Federation of Teachers, Association of Schoolmasters or anybody else. You can decide whether it is quality and you can decide what is the top priority in education. You know what education needs. You are a good citizen and a conscientious worker and you can order them about and set the directions. And t.he admiral and I. I am afraid we have been giving you a hard time, but there is nothing personal in it. It is just our deep con- cern for education. On top of all that, I have admired the way you have taken this rough patch with good humor and with relaxation arid with con- fidence in yourself. That is wonderful. And since you do have that confidence in yourself, please go and shake them around a bit, and insist upon some standards, because this country is really shaping its foundations with its children, and they are not getting the proper foundations in arithmetic or reading or writing-and you are in a position t.o raise all hell about it. That is your position, and I congratulate you on that position, and anytime you want help from Admiral Rickover or me, by gosh, we will help you. Dr. BERRY. Well, I appreciate that, because as I go kicking them around, I will need your help. [Laughter.] Admiral RIcKovr~n. You certainly will. You will need it when you learn what a government bureaucracy is. You will find out that many of your people will oppose you, but as Senator Hayakawa said, you are the boss. Use your own conscience, do what you think is right, and you will find out that there are many people who will help you~ I'm sure that this committee will help you if you try to do the right thing, and if there are people working for you who do not want to carry out the mandate of Congress, then you ought to fire them. Senator HAYAKAWA. That's right. Senator PELL. I would suggest that you try to get through reading, writing, and arithmetic, and leave the other ones for subse.quent gen- erations. I also thankyouvery much for your offer of taking another look at the section in part D of the Elementary and Secondary Educa- tion Act, and perhaps implementing it, bringing to effect the Council on the Quality of Education. PAGENO="0037" 33 Dr. BERRY. Thank you. Senator PELL. I want to thank Admiral Rickover, particularly, because I know how busy he is, and this is just one interest-an ap- parently strong interest, but an outside interest from his main responsi- bility, which is to keep our country safe and protected, and he does that very well indeed. Is there any closing statement that either of you would care to make? Dr. BERRY. No. That is fine, thank you. Admiral RICKOVER. Mr. Chairman, I would like to make a final statement. I realize that my colleague here has a very tough job. I don't underestimate that at all, because I know these educationists from personal experience. I very much appreciate your statesman-like work in taking a situation and making something out of it. I think you have got a fine way of getting this started. It is not important what the first Eet of examination questions are. The most important thing is establishing the concept that there will be somebody outside of the educ:itional establishment that will develop these standards and tests. And I think the finest thing that may come out of this is the dissocia- tion of the Office of Education from all the other educationists. Per- haps the office will not act independently. And I believe that is what the committee wants, what the President wants, and what the people want. So I want to thank you very much. I think that this hearing may be a far more significant meeting than any that you have held in a long time. Senator PELL. it is interesting, too, how the four of us engaged in this dialog are from different parts of the country, different back- grounds and we all have a certain commonality of viewpoint in this regard. Senator Hayakawa, do you want to state anything else? Senator HAYAKAWA. Nothing more. Senator PELL. Thank you all. [The prepared statement of Dr. Berry follows:] PAGENO="0038" 34 FOR R~~E~SE UP~ DC~IV~Y STA1~NI' BY DR. MARY F. B~RY ~ASSISTANT S~ARY FOR EDOCATI~N ~XATI12~ DIVISION ~ ~TH, ~X~ION, AND ~t$ARE B~ORE ~HE SUB~4D~T~ ON ~ ARES, AND HUMANITIES C~~1IT!~ ON ~N ~ UNI~ STATES S~TE JULY 14, 1977 - 10:00 a.zn. Dr. Berry is accaz~ariied by: William A. Blakey, Depity Assistant Seoretary for Legislation (~ation), D~ PAGENO="0039" 35 fr~ ~haixxnan: It is a pleasure to appear before this Sub~snittea to discuss AdmiraL I~ickover' s proposal, which ~uld. set up a National Standards C~tinittee and a national system of examinations for education. This hearing can be taken as a tribute to Admiral Rickover, wto for many years has cx~ntributed to a national concern for the quality of education. Increased p~blic: awareness of this central issue is. in. part due to his efforts. PAGENO="0040" 36 2 ~duiral Rickover offers as a priority goal for the United States `to bring all our children to mrkedly higher intellectual levels, `~ especially in the sense of being able ~to think trore iritell,igently about national issues. To pursue this goal, he suggests that Congress s~uld set up a National Standards Caurtittee (1) to re~rt on the state of ?znerican education and to find out if it is c~npetitive with cx,untries of similar levels of culture and technology, and (2) to set up national examinations which would serve as a national schelastic standard. This standard would be high relative to these currently being pursued. We agree with Adeiral Rickover's goal and ~ see, as he does, a great i,ationai ouncern for the quality of education. In fact, ~o existing programs in the Office of Education highlighting intellectual, excellence are worthy of note. The Office of Gifted and Talented administers the Presidential Schelars Program, first established in 1964, which annually henors over 120 intellectuallY ac~nplished graduating high scheol seniors fran all over the United States. There have been nearly 1700 Presidential Sd~lars since the program's inception, all chosen for denonstrated leadership, schelarsh.ip, ountribution to scheol and axuninity, and acc~t~lish- n~nt in the arts, sciences and other fields of interest. In addition, the Office of Gifted and Tal~ited in the last fiscal year funded 53 projects, with 68% of the $2.56 million budget targeted to strengthen state efforts to serve the gifted and talented and provide quality education for the gifted in kindergarten throngh the 12th grade. Projects range fran PAGENO="0041" 37 3 those that seek to identify gifted and talented culturally diverse urban youth through various prograns to those that search out gifted and talented pre-schoolers in rural settings. Other projects are concentrated on reaching and identifying gifted and talented of particular cultural groups, incli.ding Hispanic, ?rerican Indian, and Appalachian children. Finally, the National Thaining Institute on Gifted and Talented and the Policy Fellows Program provide cpportunities for pe~le involved in the training of leaders in gifted edt~ation. Clearly, this is only a beginning. ?~niral Rickover underscores the. nead for us to build upon this beginning. and -.~ will consider his prc~osals seriously as discussions proceed in the departh~it. ~ will also consider other ceans of responding to the concern for quality. PAGENO="0042" 38 4 One problan with Mxniral Rickover s proposal is that it is oriented tc~ard those of relatively high ability. The Federal governrrent' s respon- sibility is indeed to be concerned with, the education of all children, and zroreover, to give special attention to children who have difficulty learning or children who have not been given equal opportun.ity in the past. ~ be sure, a particular concern for the gifted is also appropriate, as long as rreasures taken in their behalf do not have a detriire.ntal effect on other children. In the foll~ing point-by-point analysis of the Rickover proposal, wa see that a systen of national e~arninations could have such a potentially negitive effect. Point A - A large sector of the Acerican people wants better edhoatign. Surely, Arrerican people do want a better education for their children, but the question is whether they agree on what better is. Or to be n~re precise, do they agree sufficiently to provide the basis for a national set of examinations? In tents of content, well- meaning and intelligent specialists and laymen aliae differ an what changes should be made, particularly since stńents can cover only so rtsch material during a given period of schooling. SaTe of the tradeoffs currently at issue include math~atical reasoning vs. carputation; prob- ability and statistics vs. other aspects off mathematics; literary classics vs. everyday uses of English; creative writing vs. business or canstxrer English; aural-oral approaches to foreign approaches vs. the PAGENO="0043" 39 5 study of foreign literatures; ~AnErican history vs. the history of Europe~ Asia and other parts of the Third World; sore econanics or sociology vs. other subjects; sore ~sphasis on trenual skills vs. the acad~nic subjects; sore visual arts, rru.isic or physical edt~ati~n vs. other subjects; sore ~basis on issues of int~iate public concern such as envirorrrEntal problens and cons~sr~r affairs vs. the study of acad~nic disciplines for their intrinsic interest. It might be possible to put together such a variety of exairdnations as to serve all these different interests. E~,waver, a large niznber of highly specialized examinations. s~~uld not provide a clearcut national standard. The layperson ~uld still have difficulty in keeping track of the exams and in keowing how they differ. Also, such examinations might contribute to a ranch greater specialization in secondary school than currently exists, a secial±zation which ireny ~uld consider pr&- mature. The student who wants a broa~gener~l education might not be~ able to ccznpete with specialized students ad any particular test. 5~gland' s secondary education, which Admiral Rickover particularly admires and which serves as the rrcdel for the proposed examination systan, has been criticized for early specialization. Point B Pe~1e find no one in goverrarent to carry out their wishes for educational refarn. In fact, educational reforn is alive and, depending on onet s point of view, well at all levels of goverrrrent. It is particularly strong at the state level. Instead of establishing its own standards for education, the Federal government might better help the states establish standards and carry out their constitutional PAGENO="0044" 40 6 responsibilities in their ~n way. This approach is particularly a~ropriate since, as we suggested under Point A, above, people differ in their views on the direction that refona should take~ Point C - This oroposal ~ld introduce a needed el~.nt of choice. It would not be unconstitutional nor rir~ counter to our tradition of local control. Ps±niral Rickover' s proposal n~y not be an unconstitutional interference with states rights, but it appears to n.m counter to the tradition of local control. If an e.m~mination is to be taken seriously as attesting tO student ccrrpetence and as able to notivate students to do better than they would have done without the test, then it is a test which schools naist also take seriously. They mist prepare students for such tests, and, in doing so, will have given up mmr.h of their authority to detenirtine the ~jectives of education for thEnselves. The ultinate effect of this proposal might well be to reduce student choice. The trore an ei~nination is used for university admissions and ~iplo~nt, the irore it loses its voluntary character. If one wishes to resort to the jud~nsnt of international opinion, one finds that the sector of Pirericari education which is nost admired outside the United States is the poatsecondary. It is notable that this is the sector which allows for cost freedom of choice and which is least subject to unifcucnity of standards. It cczr~rehends a great PAGENO="0045" 41 7 diversity of standards with different institutions having different goals and sat~hat different clienteles. Great private universities, great state universities, snaller state and private colleges, world- renc~ned institutes of technology, church-supported universities and colleges, junior or camtunity colleges-all coexist and rreet in one way or another the varied educaticn~l needs of the nation, Point D -National examinations ~vuld encourage lackadaisical students to aspire to higher aCadenic achievetent. Setting standards and rewarding with diplasas will get children to ~rk with their minds. ~clining enrolj.ments in the core acadenic subjects, such as E~igllsh, mathenatids, science, and foreign languages is a problan and may figure i,n test-score declines. Hc~ever, it is not clear that this proposal ~uld redress the situation. If the tine-honored netivators of standards and diplanas ~rked with all children, we ~uld have few educational problens. They may ~rk wall with sane children fran financially successful families who place a high value on education, but there are indications fran various industrialized countries that these notivators are not sufficient for many children and that, if wa want higher achieverent arrcng such children, wa mast rely on researchers and innovative practitioners to find new rreans. Standards are particularly insufficient when the school is in sate sense foreign to children as when the lute language differs fran that spoken in school. PointE-University aduissions officers and esployers need to huow what ana~licant!s scholastic qualifications actually are. Certify ing qualifications :on a diplana ~nu1d save tine and noney. It is questionable whether the notation of passing or not passing on a single PAGENO="0046" 42 S set of e~mminations can ever be a universally adequate indicator of acadenic achievEt~nt. Other sources of infontation need to be taken into account, for ~ a history of courses taken, grades received, recxim~ndations fran teachers and anyth~.ng else that an a~licant wishes to present in his or her favor. Pi3iniral Rickover `s statarents sr~gest a much heavier reliance On tests than wa believe is warranted. ~ already have much experience with the college entraxice aptitnde and achieverent e~mrns developed by the Educational Testing Service and the ?irerican College Testing Program. These tests have been developed with care and validated in terars of college perforrnar~pe. Yet like all tests-essay, short-answar, oral, or multiple choice, they have been the su~ject of much criticism. The New York Tines of May 1, 1977, con- tained a special supplerent on the controversies over testing. A group of sate fort! educational organizations, with the cooperation of educa- tiaiai. refocrers such as Jerrold Zacharias, are banding together in the National Consortium on Testing to search for alternatives to standardized tests. The National Institute of Education has a research program to develop better nethods of assessrrent. ~ will consider the Sickover proposals as we learn xxre about the value of testing. Given the present state of testing technology, the practice of setting a single passing score is particularly suspect. In fact, it is not clear how to set such scores wit~.it being arbitrary and unjustly penalizing those whose scores are only slightly bel~i the cutoff. C~e might set a cutoff such that only a specified percentage of st.idents ~uld pass, ~it it ~uld be difficult to justify such a percentage. It ~x,uld be better to set a criterion in teinrrs of kri~iladge or skills PAGENO="0047" 43 9 to be possessed, but for many tests there is at present no satisfactory way to do this. If one sin~ly wanted to select a group of high ability persons to fill high status schools ~ ~ national e ~ations inigtit fulfill this function wall. However, we nu2st recognize that such tests could result in the unfair treata~nt of individuals whose abilities, for varying reasons, might not be given ad~uate recognition by the tests. Point F - National examinations ~uld give laypersons the coans to judge whether a ~school or college is doing its job. Unfortunately, tests by the~iselves cannot be relied upon in this way. First, f~ users weuld have sufficient 1o~ledge. of subject matter to canprehend fully the significance of a varied set of examinations. Second, a school or college may have goals which are not ad~uately.rep~esented in the examination. Third ar~ cost ixrportant, stu~nts may score high or l~ on an examination for reasons other than the effectiveness of the school. A school which attracts high ability students can have high scoring graduatea even if the school's program is nediocre. Schools which werk with students of l~er ability may have graduates who score relatively lc~ even when the institution has greatly increased their kx~zIedge. Besides setting up national examinations, the carmittee established by Congress weuld have the task of periodically reporting on the state of ?zrerican education. Cur~entiy, reporting on Anerican education is a PAGENO="0048" 44 10 mandate given tą the National Center for Education Statistics. Through the Education Carrnission of the States, a consortium of state goverrmrrentS, the Center funds the National sses~rent of Educational Progress. National Asses~xEnt has the responsibility for testing the ke~i1edqe of young p~1e in the United Stated without being responsible - for certifying individuals and valuating schools. For this reason, it avoids many of the prob1~tms which we have discussed above. In addition, such a progran is econcxnical since it involves testing, not all students, bet only a sample. - ~~dmiral Rickover is particularly concerned with the standing * of the United States in education relative to other countries with similar levels of culture and technology. We can begin to answer this üč~ticn by observing that ?marican schools and universities have _prcved thmaselves capable of turning out large nun~ers of highly qualified personnel, indeed too many in various areas for the labor market easily to absorb. In sate fields a crisis of shortage in the l950s has turned into a crisis of glut in the l970s. Nevertheless, itmay still be that the education of persons with advanced degrees is lacking in certain respec*s. ?ńmiral Rickover's concern for ~ality cannot be refuted by reference to quantity of graduates. Still we believe that those deficiencies which exist are concentrated, not amang students of high ability and rrctivation, but at~ng those who have difficulty learning or adjusting to school. To answer cmuestions about the crxrmpetence of ?2nerican children in an international perspective9 the U.S. Office of Education, together with foum~ation5 and other governments9 funded in the l960s and early PAGENO="0049" 45 II 70s international surveys of educational achiev~rent. These surveys were carried out by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achiev~it (~), a consortium of research institu- tions in twenty-one Western, Catinunist and Third World countries. Thus far, these sttzlies have dealt with nathenatics, science, reeding cx~iprehension, literature, French and civic education. Although the Soviet Union (nEntioned in particular by Pdmiral Rickover) did not participate, we do have results for stedents at different age levels. in such countries as ~igland, Scotland, Australia, Japan, Federal Republic of Ger~ny., the Netherlands, S~en and Hungary. Three ~iéssons fran these surveys are particularly relevant to the ~±nira]. Rickover proposal: (1) It is very difficult to develop treasures which are equally appropriate to different scheol systa!ns. The ~ tests cannot be said to be equally appropriate to every country. The superior perfoz~nance of the Japanese in science is partly explained by the fact that Japanese stizients were nore likely to have been exposed to the tested material. In niathenatics, the first subiect surveyed and a subject on which the U.S. did relatively poorly, the tests have been criticized both for appropriateness to the United States and for intrinsic problens in sate of the itens. Nevertheless, the tEA tests retrain the only tests designed specifically for cross-national analyses of data collected fran national saoples. Thgether with associated questionnaires, they provide a goed deal of insight into differences between national systens of education. 95-038 0 - 77 - 4 PAGENO="0050" 46 12 (2) "When the student graips are basically alike in age, grade and represeritativeness of. their respective national populations, there is very little difference fin perfozirtancel between the students fran one axintty or ax~ther within the set of `n~re developed' countries." This conclusion is drawn by Alex Inkeles in a National Acadeny of Education review of the si~subject survey. A few exceptions are noted by Inkeles, including the high performance of Japan and. Hungary in science and Thinania in French. (3) Insofar as ~e cart tail. fran these data, high ability students in nonselective systars of education are not disedvantagedin xxnparison with high ability sb.idents in countries with selective systans. (~.irrently, i~he ~ is planning a second survey in mathetiatics to see ha~ mathanatics performance has changed since the early 60s, to assess the consegaences of curriculi.In ±eforms in rrathanatics, and to study the teaching of mathanatics in different countries. The National Institute of Education has already contributed to the costs of planning this survey. Further participation is being considered by N~ and N~ with a final decision on funding to be made after review of the survey desi4i ~nd caiparison With other research priorities. -. PAGENO="0051" 47 13 ~atever the aitccx~ of this particular survey, it is clear that wa can 1ea~ fran other countries in our efforts to provide educational ~portunities that are second to none. We naist be oēčn to new ways of pursuing ~ąniral Rickover' s goal of raising the intellectual level of every child. We will consider his specific prq~osals as wa continue discussions of treans of inproving the quality of education for all d~ldren. ?i3mirai Rickover's idea s~re to focus on high ability children to the likely and unfair disadvantage of these whe do less wall in schcnl. It nay put n~re waight on testing than is warranted. Tests are nc self-sufficient indicators of achievenent, notivators of st~ent perfozinance, and r~sures of sctoOl quality. MDreover, even if one could depend so heavily on testing, wa are not sure that national e~xninations wauld be a~r~riate for our Federal systan. americans want better education, but they do not all agree on what better ireans. ~t~fr differences in such natters nay best be r~iciled at the State and local levels. ~dmiral Rickover has said that he has always "ji~1g& pecple by whether or not they set thanselves a standard." We sheuld be wary of setting standards that our citizens c~ould not set for theneelves. PAGENO="0052" 48 Senator PELL. This hearing is in recess. [Wliereupon, at 12 noon, the subcommittee was adjourned, subject to the call of the Chair.] PAGENO="0053" QUALITY OF EDUCATION, 1977 WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1977 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, ARTS AND HUMANITIES OF THE COMMIrrEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES, TVa$hinqton, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice at 10 a.m., in room H-328, U.S. Capitol, Senator Claiborne Pell (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Present: Senators Pell and Hayakawa. Senator PELL. Good morning. The Subcommittee on Education, Arts and Humanities will come to order. Today marks the second day of hearings by this subcommittee into the question of the quality of our Nation's students-do they learn to read, write, and compute as well as did their predecessors? Polls show that 65 percent of the parents of such students do not believe that their children are receiving adequate instruction in basic skills. If the national dissatisfaction is so widespread, it is of concern to educators and legislators at all levels-Federal, State, and local. The subcommittee heard testimony 2 weeks ago from Admiral Rick- over, who suggested that one means of improving competency in basic skills would be the creation of a national standardized test of reading, writing, and computation, at various grade levels. Dr. Mary Berry, Assistant Secretary for Education, agreed that such tests could be useful to school districts to administer on an optional basis, so that parents and school officials could measure their students' success against agreed-upon standards of competency. Today the subcommittee will hear from two experts in the field of testing-Dr. William Turnbull, president of the Educational Testing Service, and Dr. Roy Forbes, director of the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Both witnesses have wide experience in the de- velopme.nt and administration of tests to determine educational competence. I would hope that they would address their testimony to a number of issues which the subcommittee must consider: What is the actual situation regarding test scores and their apparent decline? What is the "state of the art" in testing today? Is it possible to have non-culture-biased tests? Is there a Federal role in developing and encouraging the voluntary use of tests to measure competency in basic skills? (49) PAGENO="0054" 50 I look forward to hearing the witnesses' answers to these and any other questions that arise in the course of this hearing. Dr. Turnbull, I believe you will lead off. Dr. TURNBULL. Thank you. In response to your invitation I have a prepared statement, with various attachments, on the subject of attaining and surpassing mini- mum standards of proficiency in the basic skills. The statement is before you, in written form. I can summarize the main points briefly, and will be glad to amplify or discuss any aspects of the topic which you may wish me to. Senator PELL. The statement will be inserted in full in the record, together with the enclosures. Dr. TURNBULL. Thank you. STATEMENT OP DR. WILLIAM W. TURNBULL, PRESIDENT, EDUCATIONAL TESTING SERVICE, PRINCETON, N.L Dr. TURNBULL. Mr. Chairman, in my opinion this is a time when it is important to devote national attention, indeed Federal attention, to basic skills, defined as reading, writing and mathematics. The timeli- ness derives in part from the evidence which suggest that those skills have declined among young people in recent years. Even had they not declined as far as the average student is concerned, it is clear that too many students are sadly lacking in the tools for further learning and for full participating in American society. People inside and outside of the educational community have been painfully aware of the deficiency, and we now see a remarkable up- surge in efforts to do something about it. In my fuller remarks I have detailed a sampling of those efforts at State and local levels, and further references are provided to the astonishing efforts at improve- ment across the country. In this climate there is opportunity and, I believe, a need, for educa- tional leadership at the national level if the disparate efforts are to be given focus and substance, and if they are to be provided the intellec- tual and developmental resources they need to be effective and to avoid needless duplication of effort. Above all, we should recognize and build on the enthusiasm and the good initiative to be found around the country.. I believe it is important that State and local districts set standards expressed in real-life terms, detailing the basic competencies that students need to attain. It is important also that they test the attain- ments of their own students and measure the results against those standards. For reasons I have outlined, I do not believe that a Federal testing program in the basic skills is either necessary or desirable. I do not believe that federally-imposed performance standards to be applied uniformly across the country are required; nor do I believe we need a new, federally-sponsored set of tests of the basic skills; there are many good ones already. It has been suggested that the very difficult issues of "cultural bias," which I put in quotes, makes it: inappropriate to use the same test of basic skills with students from various ethnic, economic, and social PAGENO="0055" 51 backgrounds. This, I think, is a false issue where most existing tests are concerned, and is not a valid argument either for or against a new national test. The reasons are outlined in my fuller statement. Turning now to what a Federal role might usefully encompass in supporting a decentralized effort, I would advocate a highly visible program with Federal support, based on new legislation if necessary, to do centrally those things that it would be redundant and inefficient to do over and over again in separate State and local efforts. These things include a wide range of activities to define the elements of sound and workable programs, iii particular to make explicit the skills to be measured, to show standards can be set in relation to levels of performance; to describe how results can be reported to teachers, to students, to parents, school boards, and the public; and to provide the basis for comparing results between and among pro- grams, especially those that use different tests. The Federal role should be, further: To provide a clearinghouse of information for States and districts, with regardto programs under way or proposed. To assess the Nation's progress in the basic skills over time. And to encourage the improvement of instruction or the develop- ment of new approaches to instruction which will address whatever skill deficiencies are found. We need not only to define standards of performance, but also to discover and promulgate the means to help teachers help students to achieve those standards. Finally, I have been explicit about a warning that we probably will have to keep repeating, that is, that acquisition of basic skills, especially minimum competencies, is a necessary preparation for edu- cation, but it is far from a sufficient goal in either breadth or depth. A Federal initiative that keeps that fact before educators and the public would, I believe, serve the country well by rallying the best efforts of our disparate system. There are not many times when people seem so ready to move in pursuant of a shared educational purpose. That concludes my brief summary. Senator PELL. Thank you very much. Dr. Forbes, do you wish to make your presentation now? Then we can have a dialogue. Dr. FORBES. Thank you. I also have a very short statement, and I have provided the staff with a packet of information which I would like the opportunity to discuss at some point.. Senator PELL. That portion which is suitable for inclusion in the record will be included, without objection. STATEMENT OP DR. ROY H. FORBES, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OP EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS Dr. FORBES. My name is Roy H. Forbes. I am the director of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a project of the Na- tional Center for Education Statistics, under contract to the Educa- tion Commission of the States. The National Assessment of Educational Progress was designed to determine what skills, knowledge, and, attitudes are possessed by PAGENO="0056" 52 young Americans aged 9, 13, 16, and 26-35. More specifically, the prój- ect reports the educational attainments of young Americans, and monitors changes in those attainments-growth or decline-over time. Each year national assessment assesses one or more `of the fol- lowing learning areas: reading, writing, mathematics, science, citizen- ship-social studies, career and occupational development, literature, art and music. Within each age group the data are presented by sex, region of the country-the Northeast, Southeast, Central, and Western States- racial data, that is, black and white, level of education of the parents, and by the size and type of communities in which the students live. Just recently, using special analytic techniques, we were able to report the achievement level of Hispanic students in the country. As far as we know, this is one of the very few sources of national data on His- panic students. Baseline data have been collected in all 10 of the learning areas in the 8 years since the project's inception. From the second assessment of science we were able to determine that our American students, ages 9-13-tT-year-olds, had decreased approximately 2 percentage points in their ability to respond cor- rectly to science items. From the second writing assessment we found that the 13- and 17- year-olds, although maintaining ability in the mechanics of writing, have declined in ability to write coherent paragraphs, or essays. They have a tendency to write as they speak. And from a special study of functional literacy we conducted for the "Right to Read Effort," we determined we had a 2-percentage- point increase in the ability of the 17-year-olds in school to respond correctly to the most basic type of reading test. I should add, these tests are rather simple, including items to determine the respondent's ability to follow directions, read signs, and so forth. For our total reading assessment for 13- and 17-year-olds we found essentially there had been no over-all change. For the 9-year-old group there had been a significant increase in reading ability. National Assessment receives many requests for the results of each assessment from people in local groups and States who wish to use our materials. The results of each assessment are shared with the States and local agencies, with interested Federal agencies, commissions, and with the general public. *The reults from an assessment often spur additional interest. For example, people at the University of Indiana are interested in follow- ing up some of our information in the reading assessment by doing additional analyses. As part of our reporting policy, we release a portion of the items we use in conducting the assessment. We find it helps people to understand better the type of item asked of the student, and at the same time makes those items and the method we use in an assessment available to States and local agencies so they can use them in their evaluation or assessment. For example. the States of Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, Minnesota, Louisiana, and Hawaii have all used portions of the released mathematics items as part of their State assessments. Now they are able to make corn- PAGENO="0057" 53 parisons between the way the students in those States perform with the way in which the national sample and the sample in our four reporting regions perform. The State of New Hampshire in a recent assessment, used some of our citizenship items from the National Assessment. Because of the very large interest in writing today, the Blooming- ton, Minn.; Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado Springs, Cob.; Lincoln, Nebr., Air Force Academy, Cob., and Dover, N.H., school districts have used portions of the released writing materials to conduct their own local assessments of writing. After completing local assessments, they used the findings to plan and develop curricular improvements. Another example of the way in which the materials have `been used `for curricular improvement was a. series of articles in the "Arithmetic Teacher." Each article took items from the first mathematics assess- ment, examined how students responded incorrectly, and suggested techniques teachers could use to correct the students' computational and problem-solving deficiencies. These are a few of the ways in which the data has been used by local and State agencies. The requests by State and local agencies for information, materials, and services from National Assessment continue to increase. WTe receive approximately 1,000 requests, per month, for assistance. These in- creases are due, I believe, for the most part, to the desire for materials with adequate reporting data that can be used for comparative pur- poses, on an optional basis, by local and State agencies. Indeed, many local agencies use National Assessment materials because of their com- parative power. Thus, the National Assessment of Educational Progress is attempt- ing to meet these data needs of Federal, State, and local agencies. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Senator PELL. I thank both Dr. Turnbull and Dr. Forbes for the fullness of their testimony in their written statement, and for their testimony in person. We are particularly, interested in the abstract of the results of these tests that have been administered. I notice, glancing at them-and I will read them later in greater depth-you say the gap between teenage southeastern blacks and whites narrowed. Does that mean the black scores were up or the white scores went down? Dr. FORBES. The best of all worlds: The white scores went up during that period of time, but the black scores were going up faster, so the gap was narrowed. We have still a long way to go, I hasten to add. But I think we have reason for optimism. If I remember correctly, the percentage point in- crease for whites in the Southeast was around 1.2 percentage points, and the black 9-year-old in the Southeast about 7.7 percentage points. So we have both increases. Senator PELL. I have been interested in the `subiect for at least 10 years or so, as you may know. I introduced legislation some years ago, with Senator Cooper, calling for quality education, with optional tests like the Regents Tests, across the country, and Councils for Quality in Education. We lost the optional test; the council portion remained in the legislation but was never implemented by the executive branch. PAGENO="0058" 54 Now as we look ahead maybe there will be less opposition. My own thought, and I would like the reaction of each of you, is, shouidn't t.here perhaps be an optional test for minimum standar4s, not getting into anything complicated. Is there not some bias-proof test that would )ust handle reading, writing, and arithmetic, that is, whether you read with comprehension, whether you can write gram- matically and correctly a paragraph, and whether you can do addition and subtraction-that type of arithmetic which would more or less be pre~umed to be under the belt of anybody who had a high school diploma? As we all know, many of the people receiving high school diplomas now cannot meet these minimal criteria. What is your reaction to that thought? Dr. TURNBULL. From a technical standpoint what you suggest is feasible. I see no difficulty in constructing such a test at different levels of difficulty for earlier and later grades. Senator PELL. My thought would be one simple test, one that would be without cultural bias and would be really a minimum. Dr. TtJRNBULL. That can be done in one sense; that is, a test of minimum skills can indeed be developed; such tests have been devel- oped in the past. The issue of cultural bias in tests is, I think, one that would be neither more nor less difficult in the case of a nationally sponsored examination than in the case of the ones commonly used now.. It is very difficult to discuss this issue very usefully without defining what "bias" consists of, because different people include different ele- ments under that term. For example, suppose you have a student from a home in which English is not spoken. On a test of basic skill in read- ing English, clearly that student is not likely to do as well at a par- ticular grade level as will a student at the same grade level who has grown up in an English-speaking home. Senator PELL. But that young person is going to have to make his way in his working life in an English-speaking society and nation. In order to get a high school diploma should lie not be able to meet the requirements, whether his basic language is Thai or what have you? Dr. TURNBTJLL. I believe he should. Whether or not the test is biased under those circumstances is a question that could be answered dif- ferently by different people. My feeling would be that such a test is a yardstick of the student's ability to cope with reading in English. It purports to be no more, certainly not a test of the person's mate capacity to read. He or she might be fluent in another language, or perhaps not. Another question sometimes regarded as a legitimate definition of "b~ as" is whether the person has had an opportunity for the schooling that would be available to most of. the majority-culture students. Effective schooling is not equally available to all students across the country. If the test is seen as a yardstick of the person's developed profi- ciencv, then I would not see any implication of bias in the test, whether a national test or a test made under other auspices. However, some people would, and I believe we have to be aware of that view PAGENO="0059" 55 if we are to sort out the various claims and counterclaims as to whether bias exists or not. Itis a very slippery term. Senator PELL. iDo you think availability-not mandatory require- ment but availability__of such a test is a good idea or a poor idea? Would you be for it or against it? Dr. TURNBULL. I would be against it at the present time, on the ground not that it would be a bad thing, but that it is unnecessary. I believe there are a substantial number of adequate examinations al- ready in substantial use in many places that have had long experience with those particular measures, with what the results of them mean, and that have built up a great deal of information about their own State or local programs. You did ask the question of whether a voluntary test would create a problem. Senator PELL. Yes. Dr. TURNBULL. I think probably the answer is no, if it could be held at that level. It would be one more test. Senator PELL. My own proposal is completely for a voluntary test. If it were available I think you would find more and more schools would tend to use it. School X would use it, then school Y and school Z would want to prove they are as good as school X. It has much to do with the idea of the carrot and the stick. It would spread even- tually. I think if it were mandatory it would be undue influence of the Federal Government. My proposal is for a voluntary test. Would you be basically for such a thought, or against it? Excuse me for pinning you down this way, but it helps us. Dr. Tuiu~.uiur4L. I'd like to break my answer into two parts, if I may: I think the addition of well-made tests available to schools is an idea to which I would take no exception whatsoever. The schools ought to know, as fully as they know the content of present tests, the content of the nationally normed tests sponsored by the U.S. Office of Education. It might more directly meet the need of some State and local school districts than any examination now available. That would be all to the good. My concern about existence of a federally sponsored test goes rather to potential developments that could surround its availability and use. If its use were to take on not only Federal approval and recom- mendation-if we found it so strongly urged upon the schools that they felt they ought to adopt it whether or not its content provided a better fit to their curriculum content than other tests available- I believe at that point it would be a disservice. Senator PELL. The test I am talking about would not be one in social studies or history, that sort of thing. It would be just in the very basic tools, the elements, the Three R's-"Reading, `riting and `rithmetic"- and nothing complicated like trigonometry, calculus, algebra; simple arithmetic, which so many high school and college graduates are deficient in now. The same as to writing a grammatical letter. And of course comprehension. Would you support that? That is all Tam talking about. If you asked a question about agriculture of student at school in Harlem, that would be a little difficult. But by the same token, if you PAGENO="0060" 56 asked a youngster in Kansas what you do inthe ca~ of a blackout, that might be more difficult than the answer asked of the youngster in New York. So I am talking, really, about these elementary points. Dr. TURNBULL. I understand. I think that does weigh on the side of the utility of such a core test. I think even in the basic skills, as reading, writing, and mathematics, you will find differences from place to place as to what people believe should receive emphasis in teaching those skills. That would be my only concern, sir. - Senator PELL. Why would there by any difference in say arithmetic, between that taught in the ghetto school in New York and in a farm community in Kansas, as far as adding, subtracting, or division? Dr. TURNBULL. I think as long as one conceives of the test content as completely abstract rather than problems posed in various terminology- Senator PELL. Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. We are not referring to asking a youngster in New York how many rows of wheat can you plow in a day, or something like that, but in abstract terms. The same thing presumably, if you make it abstract, as I think you could ask in reading comprehension. Dr. TURNBtTLL. Certainly this can be done. Most tests do have the problem to be solved embedded in enough context to give the student a fuller concept of the nature of the task, of the issue involved in the question. However, I am not so concerned about the specific language as I am about the definition of the elements that go into basic writing com- petence, for example, or reading competency. Mathematics is a little easier. Senator PELL. Let me be specific: "Will you please write a paragraph about any subject you wish, at least 100 words long?" Surely that should be able to be done by a youngster anywhere. One could deter- mine whether it was grammatical after it was written, whether it is about plowing rows or riding the subway. Dr. TUENBULL. I would strongly endorse that type of thing as part of any program, if adopted, and in that case the difference would come not in the question but in the standard applied in reading and grading. Senator PELL. Purely grammatical, nothing to do with sociological or ideological content. I am just talking about grammar. Senator HAYAKAWA. Let me refine the question, and put it another way. Tam sorry to be late, but I lost my way. Senator PELL. I apologize to everybody in the room. Some came in late. This is not that this is not an open session or that we tried to keep it secret; this was the only room available. It was nice of the House, which is not always nice to the Senate, to let us have this room. Otherwise we would be outside on the west front. Senator HAYAKAWA. Leaving the question of grammar and its cor- rectness, when I taught in engineering school (freshman students, many students take engineering because they did badly in English in high school, and are not enthusiastic, I would give them assignments of the following kind, that is, assignments in which the student is asked to give instructions on something that the other students in the PAGENO="0061" 57 class do not know about, whether it is making an omelet or changing spark plugs on a four-cylinder Ford, whatever. And spelling, gram- mar, did not matter, except if somebody else cannot carry out the instructions then it is marked as an "F." If the person can carry out the instructions, no matter how you spelled, it is an "A." It was very interesting. Since then I have thought many times of the functionalism of reading and writing, speaking in survival terms, which is fashionable nowadays. You buy an electrical appliance, or a television, or whatever you buy, and so many things come disassem- - -- - bled for convenience in packaging, as soon as you get them home from Sears you have to read a whole set of instructions on how t.o assemble it. Senator PELL. I never do it. I get my wife to do it. Senator HAYAKAWA. You don't pass the reading test, either. But there are tests of this kind which are functional, a matter of survival. If people cannot read them their background doesn't matter; to survive in this culture you have to be able to do this. These tests are not culture-free, they are not free of bias, because if you read only Chinese the machinery from Sears, Roebuck remains incompre- hensible to you. But I don't see where there cannot be a uniform, nationwide test for just that skill, and required no matter what your language background. You speak of coming from non-English-speaking homes. That is I, too. And we had to learn to survive in an English-speaking culture. My high school classmates in Winnipeg were Polish immigrant chil- dren, Hungarian Jewish, Russian Jewish, spoke Yiddish at home. We all had to learn to survive in English. Many had urban backgrounds, many textbooks in Manitoba were written on the assumption of an agricultural background. When you say there are differences from place to place in the re- quirements of accomplishment in English or arithmetic, tell me about the difference between, say, North Dakota and Maryland in this respect. Dr. TURNBULL. Mr. Chairman, there is no one with whom I would less enjoy trying conclusions on the matter of writing than Senator Hayakawa. But let me respond briefly. I don't believe geography is the principal issue. Senator HAYAKAWA. Suppose it is a social class. Does it matter what social class you were brought up in when you have the job following a recipe in a cookbook, or trying to give someone else instructions? One of the communications problems I used to give students in engi- neering school is suppose you are trying to communicate by telephone to someone in a trapped submarine below as to what levers to push, what to do to get out. How would you do it? And if the person in the trapped submarine gets out alive you get an "A." If they perish, no matter what your grammar, so forth, you get an "F." Senator PELL. Admiral Rickover's analogy. Senator HAYAKAWA. I think the whole objection to cultural bias in tests is a result of reading more into the tests than was ever intended. But if people read more than is intended, then what needs changing? The tests, or the people who do that reading-in? I mean, if you take PAGENO="0062" 58 someone's temperature with a thermometer it says nothiiig about~ his character, skin color, religion, his propensity to theft, or his honesty. It just gives his temperature; that is all. And these tests do not do more. If we can regard them as culturally neutral, a test that says, in effect, the testee did not understand Eng- lish, or the testee has not mastered sixth grade arithmetic, are these not the same for all social classes, the same for all regions of the United States? Dr. FORBES. May I dive in? Senator HAYAKAWA. Please. Dr. FORBES. We try to be very careful, through our review and re- porting processes, of cultural bias and the possibility of someone read- ing into the test things that are not there. I think we have done a good job of minimizing racial and economic bias interest items. Senator PELL. Do you have any of these tests in your submission for the record here? Dr. FORBES. No. I can submit them. Senator PELL. If they are not too long I would like them inserted in the record. Senator HAYAKAWA. Yes. Dr. FORBES. Certainly. I recall a review session with school people who questioned our use of the words "vacuum cleaner" in an example. They said "Where we are everybody calls it a "carpet sweeper." That is an easy fix, and we try to use a term we think everybody uses, such as "refrigerator," tO get the same type of knowledge we are after. I think another responsibility we have in testing is to let people know the steps we take in trying to be sure bias does not exist in the test. Further, we must make sure that as we report to the general public we have all these limitations and caveats included, so they know this is what we were trying to do and that we were not trying to use the test to do two or three other things. I think review and report- ing processes require continuous work. I do not think we will. ever completely solve the problem of cultural bias, however, for the reasons you have stated. Senator HAYAKAWA. I don't think we should. Every test in English is biased against Japanese or French. But what is wrong with that? Every test in mathematics that I cannot pass-and most of them I cannot-is biased against nonmathematicianS like me. But is not the purpose of the test to weed them out? Dr. TURNBULL. Exactly. I agree completely with the .approach you just defined tO that issue. I believe cultural bias is a false issue, as I have said in my introductory statement. It. is one that would be neither helped nor hindered by a national test, because there are the same issues vis-a-vis a~ national test as are present in the existing ones. I have in mind the freely written expression of a student. If you ask a student. to write a brief exnository passage exp'aining something you do indeed have a question of the mechanics of his writing, spelling errors, capitalization~ punctuation, so on. You have also questions about how effectively he has expressed those ideas: Do the subjects and verbs agree? There is also a problem of whether he has written to the point or has essentially written on an irrelevant subject which is not PAGENO="0063" 59 necessarily a function of his ability to manage grammar, but it speaks on the question of instructions for assembling what comes unassembled from the Sears, Roebuck catalog. There is the question of whether he or she strings together unrelated sentences or is really saying some- thing. These questions go a little beyond the basics of a grammatical set of words in sequence. Different people put their emphasis on different components of such production. The result is that if the same production by a student is read by a number of different teachers, the quality rating assigned to that production is likely to be very different from one teacher to an- other. Largely thttt is because teachers look at different strengths, put stress and value on different things. Senator PELL. Were you through, Senator Hayakawa? Senator HAYAKAWA. No; I am not. Senator PELL. May I add. I am delighted that the only professional educator in the Senate is with us on this committee, and can give a great deal to it. I am just delighted that you are here, Senator. Senator HAYAKAWA. This kind of essay assignment in which people are asked to write 100 words on anything they please seems to me to be, well, not a very legitimate test of anything very much. Senator PELL. Why wouldn't it be a test of grammar? That is all I am talking about, not context. Senator HAYAKAWA. I never believed much in grammar, myself, be- cause, in all seriousness, the important thing is the semantic content. If I say to you "I am broke," "I am busted," "I am flat," "I am finaii- cially embarrassed," "My assets are not in liquid condition," it doesn't matter, you are not going to get paid anyway. I always felt the actual value of the communication was important. If I write instructions to you on where you find the eggs and how to fry them, in the morning you come downstairs and find it on the kitchen table and fry your eggs, who never fried them before, then satisfactory communication has occurred, and it doesn't matter if my spelling and paragraphing divisions are wrong, so forth. I think of communication in functional terms, and I think that kind of test can be devised. I think some do exist as prerequisite for entering, for example, engineering school. And I would say grammar tests are culturally biased, because there is no semantic difference be- tween "I have no money" and "I ain't got no money." They refer to the same objective situation. So I would not worry about that. But I do worry about the ability of a person to describe an existing state of affairs. Whether you talk about tomatoes or carburetors, what- ever, if you can describe the situation so someone understands it and follow directions and do the appropriate thing about it, that is func- tional communication. Dr. FORBES. We are at the present time planning an assessment in writing to occur in 1978-79. My guess is that we will include an item which asks a student to write instructions for people to follow. It is an excellent idea, I think. In my handout there is an item, in a blue folder, which was rep- licated by a school system in Minnesota. The item shows a picture of kangaroo jumping over a fence. The students are asked to look at the picture for a while, and to write a short paragraph or short story about ~what they thought was happening in the picture. PAGENO="0064" 60 Another example of a writing exercise, that got us in a little trouble with some organizations, was one in which we said, "Some peoplebe- heve a woman's place is in the home. Some people disagree with that." You can see why we had some trouble. We asked the students to take one side or the other and present their response with support for their side of the argument. We were testing the ability of students to write persuasively on their points of view, saying, "This is what I believe, and this is why I believe it." We already have in the military and in civil service and all sorts of places, standard tests by which we evaluate people. I don't see why there is an objection to our developing a federal standard by means of which a parent can pick up the Federal standard and learn of it and find out if a fourth grade child has actually learned fourth-grade arithmetic, no matter in what part of the country. If the parent finds his child is still at second-grade level he can raise hell with the school system and ask what is wrong: "The national standard for fourth grade accomplishment is this. Here is my child at the second grade level. Why?" We have then a basis for complaint against that school system. Right now we get a lot of jive about different cultural standards, development of personality, creativity, all sorts of things, but they do not pay attention to the necessity of learning how to add figures, and holding them to it. Senator HAYAKAWA. Well, I would say that problems of that kind of persuasive writing, argumentative writing, can really be deferred while we work out., say, basic arithmetic, because that is something on which objective standards exist, and the ability of a student to, say, as I said in the previous hearing, know enough division to go on to multiplication, know enough to go on to algebra; these are known facts to any mathematics teacher. People can be, and are, tested on them, and we need not worry about cultural bias, because the same multiplication table holds good in Bayonne, N.J., or in California, for all classes. I don't know why there is any objection whatsover to formulation of Federal standards which are offered as voluntary matters that people may comply with or ignore, as they wish. I see no objection to this kind of study being set up in arithmetic. Certainly, obviously you do it for Army and Navy enlistment, and grade people according to that, and put some people in some kinds of occupations and trade programs, others you put in entirely different kinds of training programs, because of their educational level, their background, which fits them for another kind of duty, different from others. There is enormous consideratio~i involved in not holding them to it, because we refuse to hold ghetto kids to these standards, and we say poor kids have a background of 300 years of slavery, whatever. It doesn't matter, they still have to function in this world and have to know arithmetic and algebra, so on, just as a clerk in a grocery store. Nevertheless we do send them out into the world unable to do these things, and give them high school diplomas when they are still not able to do arithmetic. We do it nbw to them. It is a dirty shame. We as a profeEsion consciously do it to them. As a profession, we are resist- ing formulation of standards that we need before wedo anything else. PAGENO="0065" 61 I read your presentation before coming, and I still do not under- stand why research is necessary to formulate different standards for 50 different States when there are so many things on which the 50 States, and all other civilized nations, for that matter, agree. In San Francisco every year we have an arithmetic grading test. These Chinese kids from Hong Kong and Thailand who cannot speak English, beat everybody else in the test.. So the whites and Japanese and Jews and everybody else are appalled at the way the Chinese get ahead of them when many of these kids don't even speak English. Our Chinese immigrant kids are pretty weliprepared in some respects, even if they cannot speak English. Now, is it cultural bias against all the rest of the population, that favors the Chinese? Not at all. It is just that we are not doing the job in this country that they are doing in Hong Kong and Thailand, in arithmetic. Dr. TU~NBULL. I would like to respond, Mr. Chairman, by saying I think that is an admirable statement of the issue on cultural bias, and a conclusion with which I fully agree. If my statement conveyed a dif- ferent impression I was not being clear in my own writing. I did revise the summary statement which you may have seen, Dr. Hayakawa, to read: For reasons I have outlined, I do not believe that a federal `testing program in the basic skills is either necessary or desirable. I do not believe that federally-im- posed performance standards to be applied uniformly across the country are required. Nor do I believe we need a new, federally-sponsored set of tests of the basic skills. There are many good ones already. It has been suggested that the thorny issue of "cultural bias" makes it inappro- priate to use the same test of basic skills with students from various economic, social and ethnic backgrounds. This is, I think, a false issue where most existing tests are concerned and is not a valid argument either for or against a new national test. for exactly the reasons you outlined, `sir. Senator HAYAKAWA. What is all this about "bias of opportunity," soon? Dr. TURNBULL. If I may respond, it is my understanding from con- versations prior to the hearing that the cultural-bias issue had been raised as one having a material bearing on whether or not a program in the basic skills, particularly a national test in the basic skills, would be advisable. My reason for addressing the topic was that it has been made an issue. My conclusion on it is that it is a false issue and that those "biases," those factors that are addressed, are irrelevant to whether or not a person is able to function adequately in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Senator HAYAKAWA. I want to ask you about page 14 of your fuller statement.' The provision of "an affirmative declaration by the Congress and the administration," so forth, that is fine. But "the provision of funds for Federal help through the appro- priate agencies within HEW and through additional appropriations to be distributed on a State basis," what are those appropriations going to be used for? Dr. TURNBIJLL. In general, it should concentrate on those things that should, for efficiency, be done centrally as a service to all States rather 95-038 0 - 77 - 5 PAGENO="0066" 62 than invented anew by each. Specifics might include: Developing models of successful ways in which people have already approached tasks such as defining the basic skill areas of concern and the elements within the broad areas; deciding on the educational levels at which to test, including adult. Senator HAYAKAWA. Do you know about the University of Islam, in Chicago-? It is not a university, at all. It is basically an elementary and high school, conducted by the group that used to be known as the Black Muslims; I think they have changed their name, Spending about a quarter of the money spent by the Chicago public schools, they do better on the average than the average for the whole public school system of Chicago, because the Black Muslims are motivated by an ideology and a strong desire to excel and a strong desire to master the skills and learnings necessary to succeed in our kind of culture. The record of t.hat Black Muslim school system is really an appalling commentary on the rest of the school systems, all run by Ph. D.'s like me, educational experts, so on. Why is it that with one-quarter of the funding of the regular school system they get such spectacular results? Dr. T1JRNBULL. I feel strongly that that and other spectacular illus- trations of success should be sought out and described and made fully public in other places, so the results could be emulated. That would be one thing I think the Federal Government could very usefully do in this field, to be sure good efforts are recognized and widely dissemi- nated. I believe improving teaching, learning, and following models of this kind if they apply elsewhere, as they probably would, is a highly. im- portant Federal responsibility, because the Federal Government has a purview that includes what is done in many communities around, the country. The other question, however, is how does one in a community set standards as to what basic proficiency levels should be. That has been well worked out in a number of areas, such as reading, trying to re- late reading skills the student acquires in school to the real-life prob- lems people have in attempting to get along in society. Those skills include, for example, reading a loan agreement, reading a dictionary, reading a tax `form-which may be beyond any of us-reading medi- cine label's, directions, so on. There has been a fairly extensive attempt made to determine what those competencies a.re across levels of, say, adult functioning. I don't think it is known to most State and local school districts that the re- suits of those studies, funded under Federal auspices, are available and can be translated into standards that can be applied to teaching and learning going on in school districts around the country. That is a role I believe the Federal Government could usefully ful- fill: to make useful the research and development that has gone on to date. Senator HAYAKAWA. Let me say, Mr. Chairman, in my own educa- tional experience I find, and have always found, that educational re- `search has rarely meant a change of practices in the classroom, except to divert attention away from the central job of teaching arithmetic, or grammar, or whatever is to be taught. PAGENO="0067" 63 I myself went through the public schools and high schools and universities in Canada. One thing I remember vividly about the Ca- nadian system is that there was an eighth-grade test covering all subjects taught in the eighth grade, that one had to pass to get into high school. But that eighth-grade test was uniform for the entire Province of Maintoba, and if graduates of your elementary school did badly in this the whole teaching staff of that school was on the griddle: "What is the matter?" And you could not complain that this was a rural school and you cannot be compared with high-class schools in Winnipeg. There was no arguing back if you did not meas- ure up to the rest of the Province in these areas of knowledge of arith- metic, knowledge of grammar, knowledge of Canadian history or civics, or whatever it was. Now, this is a counsel of despair, in a way, because it runs counter to so much American education, but having watched this system of volun- tariness in education for so long, and seeing the declining standards over the years, I am really quite unhappy about the way things go. `Whenever you present a problem they tell you "We need research." I was part of the research project on what should be undertaken in English instruction in the high schools in the State of California. We had lots of meetings, traveled a.t State expense, had a very good time, and ultimately issued a report. I have never heard any evidence that that report was ever read or acted upon. So much of educational research takes exactly this form. It is some- thing to keep teachers busy, it is an excuse for time off from one's teaching, then you write this unreadable report that no one reads. When you finish that you ask for another grant for another research project, and you will be going another 2 years. `Whereas, if you were to say, if the State won't do it, if at the Federal level we say this is the kind of test in arithmetic that everybody in this whole darned country ought to be able to pass in order to qualify as a gradesehool graduate, or highschool graduate, or fifth-grade grad- tiate, this puts the pressure on to say, "Look, shape up, this is where we do." If we want to establish universal literacy-and we do not have the universal literacy Norway or Japan or France, for instance, has, we don't come anywhere near it, I would like to see us developing toward a national standard. If we cannot do it at the State level, make the teachers shape up and stop doing research projects on that which is already known, do it at the 5ta~e level. Dr. TURNBTJLL. May I respond? Senator PELL. Please. Dr. TURNBULL. I am not about to take up cudgels for the utility 0± all educational research. I think, however, the example of research I gave is research that has been done but not translated into practical- action alternatives for the State's to use. My concern is exactly as you put it, that it was gathering dust on the shelf, not being used. It is research directly applicable to the problem before the States. I would like to see it taken one step further, to the stage at which it would be useful. If I believe the States would not do the job and had no interest in it I might well make the same argument for a~ Federal set of stand- ards-and-measurements system. The evidence we have gathered over PAGENO="0068" 64 the past year is that almost every State in the Union has a problem actively under development. I am concerned that those programs may not be as well done as they should be done and can `be done. Not basic research, but rather development activities at the national level can be put at their service so they can do well what they will be doing anyway. - `Senator PELL. Thank you. Senator HAYAKAWA. Thank you. Senator PELL. For those who are here, the reason we do not have full attendance at this subcommittee is that other members have very busy schedules. I am presently scheduled to be attending six other committee or subcommittee meetings this morning; we are all spread very thin indeed. I may have to recess this meeting for 5 or 10 minutes, because there is another one that I have to be at for a few minutes. Does Dr. Forbes have a response he could make to some of the ques- tions posed by my colleague? Dr. FORBES. I certainly agree with your conclusion about a lot of educational research sitting on the shelf and never being used. I have been most encouraged, in the last couple years since I have been involved in National Assessment, by how States use National, As- sessment. For example, the State of Maine replicated part of the Na- tional Assessment, and Maine was able to identify an area of concern with their French-speaking students. After this need was identified, action was taken to implement a program to correct some of those deficiencies. The blue handout I mentioned, from Bloomington, Minn., contains an example of a loca.l school system, parents and educators workin together, able to create standards at the local level of what they shoul expect their students to be able to do in writing. This school system was able to replicate part of the National Assessment's writing assess- ment and compare local results against national and regonal results and against its standard. This school system identified shortcomings and, as a conclusion, will address those shortcomings. So there are a lot of individual examples of the way in which assess- ment data may be used, and has been used, to correct or improve cur- ricula., and to make changes in response to the needs that were identi- fied. These `assessment results are a small percentage of all research, but I think we have some reason to be optimistic that perhaps we as re- searche:rs are learning better how to prepare and report our data and work closely with practitioners so it can be implemented. On the matter of standards we do something very similar to the ETS. The Education Commission of the States provides service to all its member States by keeping them informed of all of the State legisla- tion or State regulation being created in the whole minimal compe- tency standards area; Forty-nine out of the 50-States have something actively going on at the present time. This is relatively new; it has occurred all in the last several years. The Education Commission of the States is planning a series of regional conferences in the fall to help the States have more information about these concerns, to know what iQ available from the various States, and to have a chance to talk with each other about their concerns with these problems, and issues. PAGENO="0069" 65 `We at the Commission, the National Assessment project, and I per- sonally, are quite encouraged that the States are taking an extremely active role in this area. We do have problems, however. One that continues to come to my mind is that 13 percent of the 17-year-olds in school are functionally illiterate. When you get into low socioeconomic areas it is about one out of every five. So the need is there. The States have recognized the need and are taking action. I support the position Dr. Turnbull has stated. Standards should be essentially a prerogative of the State or local education agency. `We are seeing movement in that direction at the present time. If technical assistance can be provided from the Federal level, we feel continuation of the efforts of the National Assessment in having the national com- parative data available, will enable the State systems to use this type of information for comparison when they set standards for their local and State assessments. I guess, in summary, I feel it should be a State or local prerogative to set standards, and since we see movement in that direction at the present time we should give the agencies who have responsibility for education in this country an opportunity to act. Senator PELL. I have a series of questions I would like to ask. Per- haps you could make your comments or answers short. I want to be sure I underst.and the position of each of you. You both oppose mandatory tests across the country. Is that correct? Dr. FORBES. Yes. Dr. T1JRNBULL. Yes. Senator PELL. By the same token, you would be supportive of an op- tional Federal test being available to be applied by a local educational system if it wished. Would that be correct? Dr. TURNBULL. I have some concern about answering yes to that question. I believe the more options there are the. better. The problem, in~ my mind, would be if the national test took on such an aura of re- quirement, despite all efforts to t.he contrary, that people felt more or less compelled to use it, against their belief that it provided a good fit for their educational objectives. I would be concerned. And I would prefer to leave a~ freer climate of choice in the schools than I believe would be engendered by a national test, even though its voluntary character were made as clear as one could. Dr. FORBES. The National Assessment at the present time has a pooi of items that contain t.he documentation for hOw to score as well as how to administer, and all the national and regional data. That pool contains almost 1,800. items at the present time. That information is all available for local and State governments or education agencies to use. I guess it is a rather egotistical view, but I think the service is presently being rende.red through the Nat.ional Assessment, a federally funded project, and that the service is being made available to States and locals. If they would like to make use of those items and the methodology of National Assessment, then they have the information with which to compare at. the national level. It needs some modifica- tion-I hasten t.o put that qualifier in there-but I think the need is presently being met. PAGENO="0070" 66 Senator PELL. You would be supportive of the availability of op- tional tests across the Nation? Why are you wiggling around on this? Dr. FORBES. I would be supportive of the items being available for optional use at the local level, but I encourage giving the locals the opportunity to construct their own tests. Senator PELL. I must ask your forebearance. I have to recess for about 10 minutes; but we will be back in about 10 minutes. [Whereupon, the subcommittee was recessed from 11:15 a.m~ to 11:25 a.m.] Senator PELL. The subcommittee will come to order. Dr. Forbes, you have in one of your reports, on "Writing," the statement that: In a survey of writing skills taken first in 1970 and repeated in 1974, National Assessment found that, in 1974, students aged 13 and 17 used a simpler vocabu- lary, wrote in a short, "primer-like" style and had more incoherent paragraphs than their counterparts in school four years earlier. Only the 9.year-olds' papers. showed an improvement, with the proportion of good writers rising in 1q74. This would seem to indicate if they were truants and stayed away from school they would have improved. What is your explanation for the facts underlying this conclusion? Dr. FORBES. We found similar things in the reading assessment, Senator. We found improvement in the 9-year-old level and no im provement at 13 and .17 year-olds, and a strong suggestion of a decline in the 17-yea.r-olds in ability to infer from what they read. The decline of science knowledge of the 13- and 17-year-olds was greater than the 9-year-olds. I don't think it is a funct.ion of staying in school, but what was not happening in school when the 13- and 17-year-olds came through. Based on my experience in a large city school system, in Louisville, Ky., I know we are going to have results from the massive infusion of Federal dollars, at the primary level, grades 1, 2, and 3, both in read- ing and mathematics. So my guess is that-just a guess, not based on National Assessment data-we are going to show benefits from the programs, those programs implemented at the lower levels of school. We do not have the same types of programs implemented at junior and senior high schools. It is my guess that is the reason. Again, it is merely a guess. Senator PELL. I think the record of this hearing and the previous~ ones, when printed, will prove of interest to people across our country when they turn to this subject of tests. That is why .1 am putting in as much of the material you submitted as possible. I have a series of questions I want to run through, and I think your answers will be of significance to this dialog. Dr. Forbes, with all of the information you have collected at Na- tional Assessment you must have a~ pretty good handle on the status of education in the United States. Could you give us a summary of it as you see it today? Is it improving? I gather from your remarks it is. Is it improving as the race for increased knowledge in our tech- nologically advancing society requires education and knowledge? Dr. FORBES. I guess it would be nice if there were an easy yes and no, and no up or down to the question. Senator PELL. There will be more, later questions like that. PAGENO="0071" 67 Dr. FORBES. Basically what I see occurring is increased ability among the nine-year-olds for the most part, with the exception of science. I think that can be explained because we probably peaked out in science interest after Sputnik and National Assessment picked up on the downward stream of that interest in collecting our data. In the data we have collected on writing and reading, we have seen improvement in the 9-year-old level. If we look at the 17-year-old level, we see also an improvement in the students' abilities to handle the most basic of reading tasks, that is, following or using an index in a newspaper, or following directions,. reading signs, reading direc- tions on a medicine bottle. In other words, 17-year-olds have improved in their ability to perform very simple reading tasks. At the same time, there is a suggestion of a decline in the ability of those students to infer from what they have read. Students are pretty well off when it comes to the most basic of the basics, but at the level of making inferences from what is read, students have: problems. For certain groups of students that historically have performed quite low in all our assessments, those problems still remain. For ex- ample, the blacks in the Southeast, or in general, have performed at a lower level on the tests than the white population. I think it is prob- ably attributable directly to socioeconomics, but we are beginning to see that gap start to close, which is quite encouraging. But the problem is still there. Thirteen percent of the 17-year-olds in school are functionally il- literate. When one looks at students served by schools in the lower so- cioeconomic areas, functional illiteracy goes up to 20 perent. Senator PELL. Is it not basically economics, that determine these results? You say the blacks have not done as well. Is that not because of what the family income is, whether for blacks or whites? Has there been a paralleling of the structure so you can say such a community, predominantly black, did not do as well in the test, but you can also point out that the income level of that community is much lower than average? Dr. FORBES. Yes. We report data for size and type of community in which the students live, going from what we call high metropolitan, the affluent areas of a metropolitan area, down to what we refer to as low metropolitan area, where most of the families are either on wel- fare or unemployed. As one would suspect, those people in the lower socioeconomic strata perform at the bottom. Senator PELL. Skip socio and just say lower income. It is more fam- ily income? Dr. FORBES. Yes. The performance of those students is lower than of. those from families with higher income. Included in the issue is the matter of the parents' education. We ask the students what grades their fathers and mothers completed. We are getting perceptions of students rather than the actual fact; but it is their perception of the educational level of the parents. Again, the lower amount of educa- tion the parents have the lower the performance of the students. Senator PELL. Have you ever attempted a correlation between how many more years of schooling those children have than their parents? PAGENO="0072" 68 If the average parent had say 5 years of education the average child of that parent would have 7 or 8 or 9? Dr. FORBES. We have not done that. We have the data that would allow it. Senator PELL. It would be interesting to be able to say across the board: "On the average today youngsters have x years more schooling than their parents." Dr. FORBES. If we look at the data for a group, for example the Hispanic students, as a group they score low, but there are Hispanic students who score very high relative to all students. It is not a matter of saying blacks or Hispanic score low. As a group, more students from low-income, low-economic conditions score low, but within the group there are students achieving at very high levels. Senator PELL. Really depending on income. Rich Hispanic would score higher than poor whites, wouldn't that be correct? Dr. FORBES. Our sample is too small to draw that conclusion. I would guess that is right. Dr. TURNBULL. I believe, Senator, it is very important to remember that within any group, such as Hispanic, among families of low in- come, there will be some very high-scoring students. Dr. Forbes is discussing, as he said, average performance rather than saying one can indicate the performance of any individual ac- cording to group classification. Senator PELL. Do you include Portugese in the Hispanic group. This is of great interest in my State. We have a large number. Dr. FORBES. Frankly, the reporting of our Hispanic data included many caveats and limitations. We collected data on heritage by visual identification or by using someone familiar with the school system to identify the nationality or cultural background of the students. We were able to list students as being either Mexican-American, or Puerto Rican, or others. We have further broken it down now to pick up Cubans and Central or South Americans. We have not tried to pick up the Portugese population. When we reported the data we had a sanwle large enough to report the way the Hispanic in the Northeast and Western States performed. Senator PELL. When the national assessment was first stated. I remember, a lot of concern was expressed by the professional edu- cators and the chief school officers that the effort would lead to a na- tional curriculum and Federal control of education. Has that concern disappeared? If so. how did you manage to overcome those fears? Dr. FORBES. The concern has not disappeared. I think the people who were concerned remain very alert. Any time I have spoken with groups and even started to suggest something that looks to anyone like it would lead to a national. curriculum I get the question in a hurry. Senator PELL. So many of us walk on eggshells. We are pressing you on the one side, and your constituency presses you on the other side, as is true of so many issues. - Dr. FORBES. National assessment is thought of as a somewhat quasi- independent organization, tha.t is, one that is funded and supported by the Federal Government but the project is not controlled by the PAGENO="0073" 69 Federal Government. Therefore we have been able to establish an acceptance at the State and local level, and it is kind of based on a lot of mutual trust between the two. We also provide the States and locals with a great deal of service. If the State calls and wants to have some of our information or receive tecimical assistance, we make it available very quickly. So I think that concern is-it is quieter, would probably be the word to describe it at this time. But the people remain alert.. Senator PELL. If you change your views and testimony here to that suggested by Admiral Rickover when he was here earlier, that concern would become very much alive, would it not? Dr. FORBES. It would become very much alive. So politically there is, I guess, reason for my carefully chosen words. But I happen also to personally feel very strongly, coming from a local school system background, that that is where I would like per- formance standards set. Senator PELL. You mentioned several examples of how States and local districts use your data for comparison purposes. In this regard, how many States have used National Assessment data for comparison purposes? Second, what other services do you offer to States and local districts? Dr. FORBES. I touched a little on the second question earlier. With regard to the first question, at the present time there are ii~ States that have used our items and methods in replicating portions of national assessments. Not all subject areas have been replicated, I hasten to add. At the present time we. have entered into negotiations with the State of Michigan to possibly do a concurrent assessment in the career oc- cupational development area. The list will continue to grow. Senator PELL. I will ask that there be inserted in the record the 11 States, which I am glad include my own State. In regard to the services you provide, you have touched on them. Can you itemize-i, 2,3,4-any other services you have provided? Dr. FORBES. I t.hink foremost would be the items I mentioned earlier. Currently 1,800 items are available for local or State use. A state or local agency can select from these items in developing assessments unique to their programs. In addition to making items available, and offering technical assist- ance at the State level for replicating what we do in the National Assessment, we send out a newsletter to State and local people at their request. I think the latest issue was mailed to more than 30,000 people. The newsletter keeps people current about what is going on with National Assessment, and also what is happening in some of the State assessment programs. We run each year a conference for State assessment people. It is held each spring. This year we had approximately 250 people from 42 of the States present. They exchanged ideas on what is happening at the State level, or at the local level. Most at.tendees are State assess- ment testing people, people from ot.her testing organizations, and local agencies. Recently, some State legislators have attended. Senator PELL. Have you had such a conference in Rhode Island? PAGENO="0074" 70 Dr. FORBES. No; this is held each year in Boulder, Cob. But people from Rhode Island have participated. We work closely with the State assessment people in Rhode Island. Senator PELL. Has National Assessment established standards for student performance? In that regard, do you find it difficult to interpret your own data? Dr. FORBES. No; we have not established national standards. That is one of the things we previously touched on, and we have stayed away from establishing standards for the reasons I have mentioned. The objective of National Assessment is to monitor, at a national level, what is going on in education. The primary purpose of the assess- ment is to measure changes in student achievement over time so that educators and government officials will know what progress is being achieved in reaching the country's overall educational goals. This is the service we are providing. I think this makes it all worthwhile. Senator PELL. Why do you survey by age level rather than grade level? Dr. FORBES. When the National Assessment was designed in the mid- 1960's the question of age level versus grade level was wrestled with for some time. States have age entrance requirements for first grade; in some States students have to be 6 years old by October 15- I believe this is the earliest-other States have a deadline as late as March 31. So immediately you get into a problem of how maturity affects the achievement. The designers of the project concluded it would be best to go with age level assessment. Starting with the data we collected last year, we have now started reporting the grade within age data, and that makes it easier, then, for States to compare. An example, in the packet I handed out., was the Washington State educational assessment; a replication of some of our items. We have provided them with the grade and age data, and those are the data they use to make comparisons. Senator PELL. Your report uses data at the national and regional level, but not at the State and local level. Why is that? Dr. FORBES. When the program was designed there was the concern that a national assessment could lead to a national curriculum with the possibility of Federal takeover of the school system. One of the compromises was to set up a design that would not report State-level data. Therefore, no comparison between States would be possible and the problem would be avoided. At the present time we have seen a movement, however, toward some interest in State-level data. The current president of the chief school officers association, I think, has made statements in support of State- level data.. From a project point of view, we would be willing to expand our sample to provide State-level da.ta~ but I feel it should be on a vol- irntary basis; if the States want to participate they should be allowed to, always with the caveat that the dollars are available to do the assessment. Senator PELL. If the State wante.d to get data I guess the chief State school officer, or the Senator from that State, could ask you for it. could he not.? PAGENO="0075" 71 Dr. Foiuu~s. That is a tough one. Senator PELL. Why? Dr. FORBES. The sample size within any one State up to now is small enough that it would not be representative of the State. So therefore we have fears that the data could be misunderstood or misinterpreted. We have been hesitant to provide any State-level data at any time and up to this point we have not done that. Senator PELL. How large is the sample in my State of Rhode Island, which represents one-half of 1 percent of the total population? Dr. FORBES. I don't have the exact figure. Senator PELL. Roughly. Dr. FORBES. I really do not know, sir. Senator PELL. Would you submit that for the record? ~ Dr. FORBES. I certainly can. Senator PELL. Thank you. Another point you mentioned in your testimony was that in ghetto schools, schools enrolling large numbers of the disadvantaged, there has been a 4-percent improvement in reading ability in the past period of time. Is this perhaps because we have focused our attention on prob- lems there, with title I money? Does this mean when we can identify the problem and focus on it one sees immediate improvement-to be optimistic? Dr. FORBES. I might disagree with "immediate." From my experience at the local level, it took us a long time to learn how effectively and efficiently to spend those dollars. I think we have probably turned that corner as far as some of the primary reading and math problems are concerned. But if we tried to evaluate after we had been into the program for 3 to 6 years we probably would not have found many successes. Senator PELL. You don't think title I is directly responsible for this improvement, that without title I you would have found no change? Dr. FORBES. Strictly a guess again, based on the data. I think title I has been a very important element. But from a.. research evaluation viewpoint I see no way to separate the. effects of title I from other things. It is kind of a combination of everything, and being able to place emphasis on, say, reading in the primary grade. Because. that money was available and that could happen, I think we see a payoff. Senator PELL. Thank you, Dr. Forbes. Now, Dr. Turnbull, in your testimony you define the Federal role as "describing a valid standard-setting process for States and local districts." Don't you think the Federal Government. mi~ht be able to go further than this and even produce standards that the Federal Government it- self could set? Dr. TURNBULL. I think it might he very useful for the. Federal Gov- erument to undertake such a. step~ I think the question would be whether those federally determined standards should be made mandatory for application in all the States. A model of how such steps should be undertaken would be a tremen- dous advantage. Senator PErr~. I am not pushing for mandatory tests, but ontional tests, where the Federal Government. with its prestige. would make PAGENO="0076" 72 them available. Just as most people wear neckties if they are working in an office occupation, so most school districts would tend, in the end, probably to conform to it. However, there would be nothing manda- tory about it. t~r. TURNBULL. I was distinguishing between the standard at which a student would have to perform to be judged adequate in basic skills, which I believe could be usefully designed on a model basis at the na- tional level, and the test on which the extent of the students develop- ment would be measured. In other words, the test would be analogous to a yardstick. A stand- ard is how tall the person would have to be in order to be adjudged to have had adequate nourishment. As far as a national test is concerned, if one believes that it could indeed be retained as an entirely voluntary, noncoercive activity, as I * have said before, the addition of a national test as a model and an op- tion I think would be an addition, a useful addition, to what is now. available in the Nation. I think whether one chooses to adopt or promote such a view or not depends heavily on one's judgment as to the strength and pressure that would build up behind the adoption of such an examination. Senator PELL. If such examination could be made available not only on a school-by-school basis but also students in the school itself could apply to take the test, some would and some wouldn't? Dr. TURNBTJLL. That would be possible, yes. Senator PELL. In your prepared testimony you said youngsters seemed to be about the same after 3 or 4 years of schooling now as they were before.. Where the results seem to drift down is after that period. How do you account for that? Dr. TURNBULL. I am not sure. I think Dr. Forbes mentioned the greater effort made in the earlier grades, which is a logical reason. It is very hard to prove one thing is the sole cause o~ something else. I believe I would also be a little concerned about being too definitive as to the cause. I think two things may account for the decline in the later years. The first may be simply the extension of more years of schooling to a larger proportion of the age group. Some students who probably would not have stayed in school through theupper grades a generation ago now stay in school. I believe those who would have dropped out of the school population are on the whole students of lesser academic background. Therefore their dropping out in earlier years had the effect of raising the averages. That may not be all of the answer. It is one that is easiest to describe. There may also be later effects in the schools of a changing curriculum, moving away from as large a concentration as previously on the read- ing and writing and arithmetic skills of students and toward the in- clusion of different subjects. Senator PELL. Can you give an example of how the Federal Govern- ment could give technical assistance in order to provide comparability among the different test scores? Dr. TURNBULL. Yes; there is a model, which wouldn't be the only one. Some years ago the Federal Government found schools were handi- capped because they were not able to compare results of students who had taken different kinds of widely available tests in reading, partic- PAGENO="0077" 73 ularly in the earlier grades. So it was impossible to make sense out of the kinds of records that were available across the States in the field of reading. The Federal Government undertook a study to place the results on third-grade reading teSts-a wide variety of tests-oii a single stand- ard or scale so that the scores from the different tests could be entered into a similar record and one could get a picture of how an entire school district or entire State was doing, despite the fact that lOcal option was retained in selecting particular examinations which the different schools wanted to use. That is an example. I think something could usefully be done in other basic skills at other levels, such as the ninth grade. Senator PELL. I thank you both for your patience. I would like to see submitted in the record-you might like to submit it later-the idea of each of you if you were asked for an optional te~t on reading comprehension, writing, and arithmetic, your version, your thought, of what such optional test would be, to prepare such a test. We will put it in the record just as an idea that you have, not nailing you to it, but as your thought. Just on those three things; not on biology, or history, or any other subject-just the ability to compre- hend a paragraph, write a paragraph grammatically, and simple arithmetic. You are going to submit for the record also, I think, Dr. Forbes, the size of the sample in Rhode Island. I would be very interested in that, and in anything else you care to submit. We will keep the record open for 2 weeks for that. Dr. FORBES. I will be glad to. Senator PELL. I want this printed up, then, as quickly as possible, because I believe these two hearings will make a very real contribution to the mat:ter. Dr. TURNBtTLL. We will be glad to submit that for your consideration. * Senator PELL. Thank you very much. [The prepared statements of Dr. Turnbull and Dr. Forbes along with additional information for the hearing record follow:] PAGENO="0078" 74 STATEMENT BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, ARTS, AND HUMANITIES COMMITTEE ON HUMMN RESOURCES U. S. SENATE PROFICIENCY IN BASIC SKILLS ~Ju1y 27, 1977 WASHINGTON, D.C. William W. Turnbull, President Educati onal Testi rig Servi ce Princeton, N.J. PAGENO="0079" 75 Mr. Chairman: It is a privilege to discuss with you the important and difficult questions of basic skills, minimum standards in education, anu the role that Federal initiatives might play in ensuring that people in the United States are equipped with the competencies they need to function successfully in this society. PAGENO="0080" 76 -2- A. There is a need for national attention to basic skills Perhaps the first question to ~e asked is whether or not there is a problem. Is there a need for national attention to the basic skills and the extent to which students are attaining them? The answer, I believe, is `Yes." There is no doubt that there are substantial numbers of students who pass through and graauate from our secondary schools today without the skills in reading, writing, and mathe- matics that they need both as a basis for further learning in all subjects and as prerequisites for participating fully in the responsibilities, opportunities and rewards that are integral to life in this country. B. There has been a decline in basic skills The belief is widespread that the situation now is significantly worse than it was a generation ago: that the numbers of students whose skills fall below any reasonable standard of adequacy is now suDstantially greater. The data on this point, although not all pointing in the same direction, tend to suppo~'t the view that there has been a decline in skills. In one sense, the fact of a decline is not the main issue, since if there are too many people who lack essential skills we have a serious national problem regardless of the trend. But if we are losing ground, as many think we are, we had better know it and do something about it. A widely reported assertion is that average scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test of the College Board, taken near the end of secondary school, have been going down since l9b3. The reports are correct; tne scores have declined. In 13 years to 1976, the SAT-Verbal Score made oy the average student taking the test had gone down some 50 points, from `~7~ to 429, and PAGENO="0081" 77 -3- the SAT-Mathematics score for the average student had declined ~y about 30 points, from 502 to 470. The reasons for the change are still under study by a distinguished panel, chaired by Willard Wirtz, that expects to report in another month. Meanwhile, the fact of the decline has been interpreted by many people as evidence that the schools are no longer doing as good a job as they did in the eariy sixties. It is important to recognize that the SAT itself is not a test of basic skills but rather of much more advanced academic ability. Moreover, the SAT results should not be taken as a measure of the quality of the schools. The test is intended to reflect abilities developed in a variety of settings, in and out of school, rather than to mi rror the adequacy of the teachi ng and the courses of study in secondary school. Moreover, the ranks of the SAT-takers increased greatly over the period and some part of the dccli ne no doubt reflects the fact that the young people taking it today include many who would not have applied to college l years ago. Nonetheless, the decline in scores may reflect, in part, school-related changes, and in any case it is a challenging piece of information demanding attention. It is generally consistent with results drawn from a variety of other national or regional exams that show a downward drift In performance levels in recent years at the high school level * The dec11 nes are less in the earl icr grades, and in fact In the first three or four years of school the attainment of pupils appears to be substantially the same as before. Nonetheless, the evidence is convi nd ng that in the upper grades there. Is a large enough number of students with deficiencies In the~ basic skills to constitute a serious problem. And the flumber Is probably growing. V 95-038 0 - 77 - 6 PAGENO="0082" 78 -4- C. There is widespread public concern As is not unusual, th~~gntful people around the country, including many educators, had been personally convinced for some time before the formal evidence was in hand that the problem was real: the statistical evidence is confirming a popular consensus already reached. The reaction to the problem has, indeed, been remarkable. There is a ferment and an impulse to action of a breadth anci intensity seldom seen In education. It owes its force both to educators and to the general puolic, is reflected in the media, and finds expression in demands for legislation, often to require some form of test In the basic skills. U. States and local school districts are taking action Illustrative facts are emerging steadily: --Forty-nine states are planning, now aeoating, or have enacted resolutions or legislation on testing for competency or proficiency. Since danuary of this year alone, Z3 states have introduced legislation. And California, Florida, New York, and Oregon have begun this year to implement their programs. -~ A recent task force of the National Association of Secondary School Principals called for the establishment of competency requirements for high school graduation in communication skills, mathematics, and American history. -- The National School Boards Association polled its members and found more than 75 percent belIeved schools shoula concentrate more heavily on the three basic skills areas. -- tiallup's latest annual poll of attitudes toward tne public schools showed that 65 percent of the AmerIcan public now believe all high school PAGENO="0083" 79 -5- students should ~e required to pass a nationwide examination prior to high school graduation. In l95b, just after Sputnik, only 50 percent of the public expressed support for such an exam. -- The report on competency testing by the National Commission on Education Statistics was based on an August 1976 survey conducted for the National Institute of Education. At that time, five states -- accounting for 25 percent of the nation's public school enrollment -- had competency- based testing programs in operation. An additional 24 states were then involved in some form of performance-based ecucational activities with emphasis on basic skills. Three more have since become involved. In total, the report stated more than 67 percent of the total puDlic school enrollment in the Uniteu States is already involved in basic skills testing in one form or another. At the local level, the following examples could be multiplied many times over to obtain a total picture: -- In Denver, Colorado, a set of minimum competency tests for high school graduation has been administered since l9b2. The tests cover reading, spelling, math, and language mechanics. Remedial instruction is provided for those who do not pass the tests. The state itself has not mandated a test, but rather has set guidelines for the kind of test that should be used for districts that want to implement a program. -- Beginning In June, 1979, the Los Angeles Unified School District will require its graduating seniors to pass the Senior high Assessment of Reading Proficiency (SHARP) test in order to receive a aiploma. Students will have up to four opportunities to pass the test. Reme~iial instruction will be provided. PAGENO="0084" 80 -6- -- In Duval County, Florida, a program testing for functional literacy began with ninth grade students during this last academic year. -- The Gary, Indiana, School System, as one of its system-wide proficiency examinations in the basic skills of reading, writing, math, and oral communi- cation, last fall had all ninth grade students write individual essays. These were centrally graded by teachers in the system under arrangements designed to insure comparability of the standards applied. In short, the models for coping with this educational pi'oblem appear to be almost as many and varied as the localities and levels of government in which they are being developed. Those local perceptions that have helped create a wide variety of approaches to educational issues and proolems continue to lead to a broad array of methods to evaluate, diagnose, and prescribe. An ETS report, Basic Skills Assessment Around the Nation, provides a brief review of activities in states and local districts in this area as of early this year. An update to this report, prepared this week by the ETS Information Division, Is also appended. Clearly, then, the issue of basic skills both deserves and is receiving urgent attention~across the country. In this circumstance, is there any need for FederaF involvement? E. Federal involvement can hel~p I believe the answer is that Federal action is needed. The question is what form it should take. The surge of local and state interest in children's education is an asset of enormous value. We are seeing a genuine grass-roots movement. The public has identified what it sees as a critical educational issue, and it is right. If the energyand the desire for improvement now apparent can be PAGENO="0085" 81 -7- given point and focus, and if the means of translating it into intelligent action can be provided, the movement could mark a turning point of major significance in education. The principal need at the Federal level is, I believe, educational leadership in delineating constructive alternative solutions: models of what can be done and how. The second need is to dO some of the research and to develop some of the techniques that will be needed for effective action. The third need is the channeling of some funds, new or already appropriated, toward this set of problems. In short, there is an opportunity to capitalize on the enthusiasm and ideas already present and to make available the resources that can be drawn upon to help make the efforts effective. F. A Federal testing program is not needed now Present conditions also suggest that Federal moves that are indeed possible might be largely redundant and at worst counter-productive. There is. for example, no evident need for a campaign to raise public awareness: it has been raised. There is no apparent need for the creation of a Federal program of testing for minimum competencies: there is already an array of such programs in place or now being installed, with some variety that will accomoodate to the differences in emphasis favored in different parts of the country. Superimposing a national system, even a voluntary one, on a scene of vigorous local and state initiatives already underway, would run the risk of dulling the sense of immediate, close-at-hand need for cooperative self-help that is powering the present movement. It would also raise, unnecessarily, sensitive questions about the "intrusion" of Federal influence in State and local prerogatives. PAGENO="0086" £2 The most difficult task in any program of testing for competency is setting the level of accomplishment that will be judged "adequate. While there is wide agreement in the educational community and among members of the general public that reading, writing, and mathematics are essential to the educational process, there is no consensus on the questions "How much, for whom, where, and when?" It seems doubtful that these questions are best answered by Federal intervention or fiat. In order to implement a Federal standard or system of standards, it might be deemed necessary to have an extensive support apparatus with provisions for the development of new test forms, and perhaps for the maintenance of security on existing forms. The impact of such a syste1~ on the education community could be highly negative. A single national standard also has the potential for leading to labels ("skilled" or "unskilled") on diplomas, and perhaps on people, without the application of a set of teaching methods and resources aimed at giving the individual student -- by teaching, textbooks, and time -- the competencies that he or she lacked when the test was taken. The latter responsibilities, of course, rest with the states and localities. A Federal role in describing a valid standard-setting process for states and local districts could, however, be distinctly helpful - a point I return to in Section H. ii. Specially developed tests are not neecie4 If there is no need for a national testing program, may there still oe a need for a new set of tests developed under Federal auspices? I believe this is not the case. There is an ample supply of tests, their diversity is a great strength in a pluralistic system, and their quality on the whole is PAGENO="0087" 83 -9- good. In particular, I see no prospect that the problem of `cultural bias" would be ameliorated by a Federal effort. Two of these points are expanded below. 1. There are many tests already in widespread use Test publishers, both profit-making and not-for-profit, have been active in meeting the demand for tests of basic skills, often accompanied by material to test a broader array of educational attainments. The tests have been in particular demand for evaluating programs funded under Title I of ESEA. The U. S. Office of Education has sponsored a summary of the content of eight commonly used, nationally normed tests, and the Region V Technical Assistance Center, administered by ETS, has recently issued a one-page overview (attached) of those tests and the latest developments with -regard to each. There is a proolem posed by lack of comparability among the scores reported for the several tests, which use somewhat different score reporting systems. Federal assistance in providing comparability, which is technically feasible, would be distinctly useful. 2. Cultural factors would not be eliminated by a national test It is my understanding that the question of the influence of cultural factors on test scores may be of particular interest to the Subcommittee, and properly so, because of the importance of this matter in any consideration of national policy. Accordingly, I shall treat the question at somewhat greater length than might otherwise seem necessary. It is well documented that on the average, PAGENO="0088" 84 -lU- various cultural and other groups score less well on tests of. school subjects, including basic skills, than do white middle-class students. The lower-scoring groups include some ethnic minorities, chilaren of the poor, children for whom English is a second language, and persons with combinations of these and other background conditions. In this context the question that must arise is whether the lower average scores are attributable to bias in the tests themselves. Much research has been devoted to this question -- and to important related concerns-- in recent years. Over many decades people have tried to devise "culture free" or "culturally fair" tests (for instance, Dy using problems posed entirely in pictures) in the hope of reducing the differences in performance between groups. The results have been discouraging in two main respects: a. the scores from the specially designed tests have proved to be less relevant to educational attainment than those obtained from conventional tests, and b. the new tests have shown score differences between groups as great as the differences on the tests they were designed to replace. It would appear that cultural factors permeate the exercise of the intellect to a much greater degree than had been assumed by those who hoped that changes in content, format, ormode of presen- tation would wipe them out. At the opposite extreme would stand tests developed without attention to cultural bias, which could thus include questions PAGENO="0089" 85 -11- particularly dependent on familiarity with a particular culture, although such familiarity is irrelevant to the particular educational skills being tested. These might be called `culture-saturated questions. For many present-day tests in wide use, both editorial and statistical steps have been taken to reduce or eliminate such questions. It is common practice in test editing to arrangefor critical review of individual questions by minority-group members, and to eliminate or revise any material found objectionable, or depending on knowledge specific, to a particular culture. Another check is provided by the statistical procedure called `item analysis," which means analyzing the way a question performs in the context of an actual examination. Item analysis is a procedure in which the answers chosen by various subgroups of students are analyzed to make sure the question is as easy, or as difficult, as those who wrote it felt it would be. Item analysis is generally first applied when questions are pretested (included in an actual examination, but not counted as part of the final score). As part of the item analysis a check is made to discover questions that prove unusually difficult for minority students. Such questions are typically eliminateci. In these ways, questions representing the kind of "cultural bias" that concerns most people--"culture saturated" questions--are minimized. Two further kinds of "cultural bias" remain in most tests, however. One stems from the fact that questions on all widely used PAGENO="0090" 86 tests are phrased in standard English. This may be called "basic language bias." A student whose experience has been gained in a different idiom can be expected to be less at home with a test in standard English, and to do less well on such a test than a student of comparable basic ability who has grown up with standard English as the medium of expression. This reality is especially important for students from families where a language other than standard English is spoken. To charges that basic language "bias" exists in most tests, the answer must ~e, "Yes, it does." Tests of basic skills measure the ability of students to read standard English, to write it, and to perform the calculations required to solve problems posea in standard English. It is of course quite possible to develop and give tests in the students first language. This is now cione in many areas, such as the Southwest, and the process can produce useful information about a student's ability to cope when problems are posed in that language. But it must be remembered that the student's ability to solve word and number problems posed in the language of the majority culture is of legitimate concern, since it shows whether or not she or he is able to cope at a minimum competency level when proDlems are posed in English. This is an important prerequisite either for using basic skills as essential tools in further learning or for applying them to successful adult living in the United States. The third kind of bias is "bias of opportunity." It is a fact that students in this country do not yet have an PAGENO="0091" 87 -13- equal opportunity to learn. They may have gone to more or less effective schools,. with more or less well-trained teachers, with greater or lesser opportunity at home to expand their knowledge. Opportunity is not yet equalized across all subgroups of the population. Such "bias of opportunity" shows up in performance on standardized tests. Two possible approaches have been proposed in these circum- stances. One would be to try somehow to give extra points on the tests to students who had learned under adverse circumstances, so that a score would be adjusted accordi ng to the educational handicaps overcome by the student. Though this proposition has been given considerable thought, and has had some research devoted to it, no one yet knows how to do it. Moreover, there is a responsible body of opinion to the effect that applying a variable yardstick would be more confusing than helpful. The other approach is to say, "The test score tells you how well the student has mastered the skill in question. It does hot tell you the obstacles he or she has overcome to attain that degree of proficiency." If one is concerned with helping students develop a level of skill necessary to get along in our complex society, it is important to be able to measure attainment separately from the question of how the learning was or was not acquired. When it is found that a student needs help to bring a particular skill to at least a minimum level, the educational job is to provide the instruction required. I have attached some sample test questions like those now included in tests specifically designed to measure PAGENO="0092" 88 -14- ~asic skills. These materials have oeen reviewed for minority bias and would probably be judged as unbiased oy most reviewers. H. Federal help of specific kinds is needed to allow a decentralized system to work well Having indicated that I do not believe that certain Federal actions would be helpful, although they have been put forward cogently by others, I would like to return to the view expressed in Section F -- that Federal involvement can help -- and propose several more specific actions for your consideration. 1. An affirmative declaration by the Congress and the Administration that the issue of basic skills is of national importance, is one in which the public interest is strong and is an area to which Federal actions should be devoted in support of State and local efforts. 2. The provision of funds for Federal help.through the appropriate agencies within HEW and through additional appropriations to be distributed on a state basis. The help to be provided through USOE or NIE should be designed in close consultation with the people who are trying to solve the problem at state and local levels. In general, it should concentrate on those things that should, for efficiency, be done centrally as a service to all states rather than invented anew by each. Specifics might include: - developing models of successful ways in which people have already approached tasks such as o defining the basic skill areas of concern and the elements within the broad areas, o deciding on the educational levels at which to test, including adult, PAGENO="0093" 89 -l 5.. o deciding how to select, from among the available tests, those best suited to state or local needs, o reporting results to teachers, students, parents, school ooards, the public. (This might Include relating standards of performance on the tests to real-life objectives of coping at various levels of adequacy in American society.), o devising techniques that can be used In setting minimum standards for a community or state, o developing teaching and learning programs to bring basic skills at least to minimum acceptable standards, and integrating them into the educational structure of a school district, and o devising ways to provide training for teachers, aides and others who will help students learn basic skills. - providing information to allow results from different tests to be expressed in comparable terms, to allow the information to be brought together for larger units (e.g. states, regions, the nation) and to minimize the likelihood that redundant testing will * be required. A successful effort ("Anchor. Test Study") was undertaken in reading at the elementary level a few years ago. - provi di ng a clean nghouse of I nformati on aoout acti vi ties i n progress around the country. - designing a system to monitor progress nationally, overtime, ip overcoming problems in the area of basic skills, and to identify and encourage those practices that are most effective. The last point deserves emphasis because of course the uncovering of deficiencies in basic skills is a means, not an end. The end is provision PAGENO="0094" 90 -16- of skills at the requisite level. For this reason, the aim should be to diagnose the learning problems, not to point the finger of blame; to design effective teaching and learning methods, not simply to keep score. It will be important that the Federal role be conceived, presented, and understood not as a concentration on passing or failing, winning or losing, but on fostering essential learning. I. Basic skills training is not enough It seems self-evident, perhaps, that acquiring the basic skills at a minimum competency level is the start of the pathway to learning, not its end. It woul d be tragic if anyone were to concei ye of mi ni mum competencies as being sufficient in the root skills of reading, writing, ana mathematics. The goal of our educational system is excellence. Each inaividual should be encouraged to progress in those fields to the highest level of proficiency of which he or she is capable. Nor must the three primary skill areas, important though they are, be allowed to shoulder aside the very learning that the acquisition of those skills makes possible in the sciences, the arts, the collective wisdom of our civilization. We will all be well served if the Federal government can find ways to strengthen the basics without implying that the country is ready to settle for minimum performance or a narrowed conception of our aspirations for learning. If the Federal government puts its efforts fully behind the commitment to put a foundation of basic skills under the learning of every student in the country, I have no doubt that in the present climate of national concern among educators and the public at large, the leadership in the states and districts will be eager to enter into a constructive partnership to bring about that level of performance. PAGENO="0095" 91 An ETS Information Report: Basic Skills Assessment oAround the Nation PAGENO="0096" 92 BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT AROUND THE NATION There is general agreement on the desirability of improving teaching and assessment of the basic skills. Parents, employers, and college admissions officials complain that many students graduating from the nation's high schools can't read, write, or compute at acceptable levels. One of the significant consequences has been a move toward the development of some form of performance-based standards of educational attainment that would, in effect, require that a student leaving high school demonstrate the attainment of a minimal level of basic skills. State legislatures and agencies, responding to this concern, are in many cases mandating mastery of essential skills as a condition for high school graduation and for grade promotion. Seven states have enacted legislation mandating competency activity in some form--California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, and Washington. Another nine have taken either state board or state department of education action. In many more states, legislation has already been, or will be, introduced for consideration by the legislature; Minnesota, Alabama, and North Dakota have just introduced bills in the 1977 legislative session. In others, studies and pilot projects are being conducted by advisory groups created for the purpose of exploring the minimal competency issue. Much of this activity will result in setting standards for high school graduation or grade-to-grade promotion and possibly for required proficiency at some point. In some cases standards at the junior high or elementary school level are also being considered. As the issue becomes broader, the outcome in some states will not always include a mandate for testing or competency requirements for graduation. Whatever the activity, there is no doubt that in the first half of 1977 there will be significant decisions made by many states as to the direction they will take regarding minimal compe- tency. ETS Information Division, which compiled this report, acknowledges the assistance of staff members in the various ETS regional offices, with particular gratitude to Theodore Storlie and Tern Strand of the Evanston, Illinois, regional office. Invaluable data also were provided by Chris Pipho of the Education Commission of the States, Denver, Colorado. Because the status of legislation and other activity relating to basic skills assessment is changing constantly, the information contained in this report may not be completely up to date. February 1977 PAGENO="0097" ~93 Developments in Competency Testing A profile of the nature and extent of performance-based activity through- out the country may be obtained by looking at the report of the National Commission on Education Statistics, based on a survey done in 1976 for the National Institute of Education. The survey of state education agencies, August 1976, showed that at that time there were 5 states with operational programs and a total of 29 states involved in some form of performance-based educational activities with emphasis on the basic skills. This figure represents about 67 percent of the total public school enrollment in the United States. Most of the states reporting PBE activities are in the planning stage. However, the 5 states with operational programs already account for more than a fourth of the nation's public school enrollment. In those states reporting PBE activities, the two aspects most often included were: 1) "New or revised programs and/or courses, and 2) multiple opportu- nities to pass a required test of competence." Most of thestates with PBE activity reported that their programs required or involved the following additional activities: 1) New proficiency tests for high school graduation 2) Out-of-school leaving opportunities 3) Local options in determining performance standards or criteria 4) Production and use of research information to assist adminis- trators, legislators, and courts in formulating performance- based educational decisions. Only a few states reported "new performance-based standards for teachers." Several states, generally those currently engaged in PBE activity of some kind, expressed an urgent need for research and development on: 1) Pilot testing of competencies 2) Alternatives for measuring competencies 3) Identification of minimal competencies Of the 15 most heavily populated states, 12 are moving in the direction of performance-based education. Twenty-two states listed "new proficiency tests for high school graduation" as an urgent need. Substantially greater interest in both basic and life skills programs exists among the states with a million or mere enrollment than among the less populous states. 95-038 0 - 77 - 7 PAGENO="0098" 94 Evidence of Widesj~read Interest in Basic Skills Testing * The report of the NCES survey concludes that the interest in performance- based standards and progranm can be interpreted as a concern about "defining the goals of objectives of education, developing effective educational processes to attain these goals, and identifying appropriate methods to measure such attainment." * At the National Association for Secondary School Principals/U.S. Office of Education conference on America's Secondary Schools, April 1976, an NASSP task force called for adoption of competence requirements in communication skills, mathematics, and American history as a condition for receiving a high school diploma. There was wide disagreement, however, on how such a requirement was to be implemented. The group also endorsed giving alternate certificates of competency to students not meeting all the high school graduating requirements. * According to a recent National School Boards Association survey, more than three-quarters of the board members polled believed that the public schools should put mere time and effort into reading, writing, and mathematics skills. Only about one in ten believes there is enough stress on the "three R's" currently, and only one percent see too much emphasis on basic skills in today's schools. * The recent Gallup Poll of Public Attitudes Toward the Public Schools shows that 65 percent of the public now believes that all high school students should be required to pass a standard nationwide examination in order to get a high school diploma, compared with a 50 percent affirmative response in 1958. * The National Council of Teachers of English is planning a book detailing the profession's views on competence in media and English studies for upper elementary and secondary school students and on the measurement of those studies. The book will describe the nature of competence in English and will present a collection of exemplary measures, contrasting them with inappropriate measures now in use. The NCTE sees a need for measures that address the special problems of measuring growth and competency in English to avoid the emergence of an adverse definition of English, one that would reduce English to "reading and proof-reading, to literal comprehension and superficial editing skills." An NCTE ad hoc committee on Ninimal Competency Testing has drafted guidelines for the development of competency statements and measures of competence in English. Alan Purves, (University of Illinois at Urbana), will include a critical review of current competency tests in the spring 1977 review issue of Research in the Testing of English. -4- PAGENO="0099" 95 Activities at the State and Local District Level ALABAMA A 24-person task force has been working on recommendations for the total high school program and will present a report in the spring of 1977. The report is expected to include recommendations for competency based graduation requirements. SB 79, recently introduced, would require local school boards to develop standards of proficiency to evaluate student progress in the performance of academic and basic skills, by June 1978. The state department of education would assist local boards of education to develop examples of minimal academic standards for graduation including performance indicators. ALASKA The department of education is developing the Alaska Statewide Instruct- ional Support System for the purpose of meeting educational needs of students in basic skill areas of reading and mathematics. Student competencies are measured against state educational objectives. Tests will be based on itenm from the Alaska Objectives and Item Bank. Local District c~g~Alternative School is conducting minimal competency activities. ARIZONA As of January 1, 1976, the state board of education required school districts to certify that 8th grade graduating students are able to read, write, and compute at the 6th grade level. Students graduating from high school must demonstrate proficiency in those skills at the 9th grade level. CALIFORNIA SB 1112 (1972), SB 1243 (l9Z~. The two acts combined provide for the California High School Proficiency Test covering the basic skills of reading, math and computation skills, and consumer economics. Sixteen- and 17-year-olds (in 1975-76) may be awarded, upon successful completion of the test, a proficiency certificate legally equivalent to a high school diploma. They may leave high school if they pass the test and have received parent permission.. The test is administered three times per year. In 1976, SB 1502, Ch. 315, opened the California High School Proficiency Examimations to any persons 16 years of age or over, or to anyone who has been enrolled in the 10th grade for one or mere academic years. AB3408 (Hart Bill) signed into law in September 1976, requires school districts that operate high schools to adopt assessable graduation standards of proficiency in the areas of reading, writing, and computation by June 1978, and to assess student progress toward these standards once during grade 7 through 9 and twice between grades 10 and 11. -5- PAGENO="0100" 96 CALIFORNIA (cont'd) The district must provide, for those students who do not meet district standards, a diagnostic and prescriptive remedial instruction conference or alternative ways of satisfying the district's course of study. After June 1980, students who do not meet these standards will not receive a high school diploma. AN 2725, Ch. 473, requires the state board of education, by April 1, 1977, to prepare and distribute to each school district examples of minimum academic standards for graduation. This distribution will include the criteria used by the department of education in developing standards for competency in basic skills for the high school proficiency exam. Local District Los Angeles. Beginning in June of 1979, the Los Angeles Unified School District will require its graduating seniors to pass the Senior High Assessment of Reading Proficiency (SHARP) test in order to receive a diploma. Students will have up to four opportunities to pass the test; remedial instruction will be provided. Announcement of the SHARP test by the district has generated considerable interest by other districts. COLORADO No special proficiency testing is required by the state beyond regular requirements for graduation from the 12th grade. Local school districts are free to impose such tests, but must fulfill certain conditions if they choose to do so. Local District The Denver Public Schools administer their own minimum competency tests for high school graduation, have done so since 1962. The tests cover reading, spelling, math, and language mechanics. Remedial instruction is provided for those who do not pass the tests. CONNECTICUT The state passed a bill in 1975 requiring assessment in basic skills in high school, but the bill failed to receive funding. Substitute R~gq4 Committee Bill 5839 would require a proficiency test for tenth graders after September 1, 1977. A Statewide Advisory Committee for Proficiency Testing appointed by * the state department of education is studying recommendations on devel- oping a high school equivalent competency-based certificate. Final recommendations are due in June. PAGENO="0101" 97 DELAWARE The state department of education is developing a list of general com- petencies to be used as a prerequisite for high school graduation, as required by the state board of education in its resolution of December 1976. Some exploratory work is being done, using the Adult Performance Level materials. The department of education expects that by July 1977 it will have a plan for competency based education for 9th grade, to be used at the beginning of the 1977-78 school year. FLORIDA CSSB 107 (1976) This legislation has mandated competency requirements based on mastery of basic skills and functional literacy. Prograns of pupil progression based upon performance will be required by July 1, 1977, tied to local goals and objectives. Performance in basic skills will be stressed (on statewide tests) before students may progress from grades 3, 5,8, and 11. By the 1978-79 school year, school districts must establish standards for high school graduation, to include mastery of basic skills and satis- factory performance in functional literacy, in addition to the number of credits required by the district school board. Each district is required to provide remediation for students needing it. Alternative diplomas must be awarded to those students unable to meet the standards prescribed. Local Districts Duval County, Jacksonville. High school seniors will take a test of functional literacy, beginning with the ninth grade in the 1976-77 school year. West Palm Beach. The school board requires all high school juniors to take the Adult Performance Level test. Satisfactory performance on this test will become a graduation requirement, beginning with the class of 1978. Broward County, Polk County. Both counties are developing K-12 perf or- mance standards. GEORGIA The state department of education has a statewide criterion-referenced testing program for the 4th and 8th grades. The tests, which are diagnostic, provide an individual profile in 20 basic skill areas. Tenth graders will be included in the testing program in the future. The state board of education is at present investigating the possibility of changing high school graduation requirements to include minimal proficiency standards for the life role skills, including specific recommendations for the student as the learner, the individual, the citizen, the consumer, and the producer. The recommendations are modeled after the Oregon high school graduation requirements. At the request of the state board, the department of education is conducting a major redesign of the Georgia School Standards, the first such major overhaul since the Standards were first administered. PAGENO="0102" 98 HAWAII Local District The Kamehameha Schools (private) have initiated a curricular revision study that will investigate minimal competency structures and their influence on actual instructional programa. IDAHO The State Superintendent of Public Instruction has expressed interest in minimum standards for high school graduation to the legislature, but no public statements have been made. ILLINOIS The department of education is exploring the use of some form of mininaim competency testing in basic skills and is considering developing a bank of objectives and itens for use by school districts. Local Districts Chicago. The Board of Education is moving toward setting standards for high school graduation. Pilot examinations have been prepared and administered. A study is being done to determine an effective functio- ning level, involving young adults performing satisfactorily on the job, as a validation effort. Peoria Public School District is developing a minimum competency examination for high school graduation, beginning with the graduating class of 1979. INDIANA Local District ~ The board of education has adopted proficiency standards for high school graduation, to go into effect in 1977. Proficiency in the basic skills of writing, reading, math, and oral communication will be required. In the fall of 1976, Gary high school students wrote essays for the purpose of identifying students needing remedial help in writing. Centralized scoring of these examinations was conducted by Gary teachers with the assistance of Educational Testing Service. IOWA - Local District Metro High School, Cedar Rapids, is involved in minimal competency activity. KENTUCKY Interest has been expressed in minimal competency in basic skills as a requirement for high school graduation. The State Board of Education has instructed the State Department of Education to make a study of competency based education and minimal requirements for high school graduation. The use of the GED test for high school equivalency is being investigated. -8- PAGENO="0103" 99 LOUISIANA The State.Board of Education will include, at the request of the State Department of Education, a study of minimal competency testing within the development of a state master plan for education. MAINE A small-scale opinion survey on high school diploma competencies was conducted. A statewide committee drafted competency statements in reading and math at the request of the state department of education. MARYLAND The state department of education has developed the Maryland basic mastery test for reading, administered in 6th, 9th, and 12th grades. This "survival reading test" is also being administered in the fall of each school year to grades 7 and 11 as part of the statewide accountability program. The SDE is considering a proficiency test for high school graduation and plans for reducing basic skill deficiencies. Several districts have acted on proficiency-based graduation. MB 1433 requires the state board of education to prescribe progressively advanced mininiim reading levels for grades 2 through 12 and to provide a proficiency test for entry into grades 3 through 8 to determine grade-to- grade promotions. MASSACHUSETTS* The Advisory Committee on High School Graduation Requirements has made a preliminary report to the state board of education, outlining six basic skill areas in which students should be tested before graduation. The board feels that testing should be required in comnunication and computa- tional skills and that the areas of career knowledge, social responsibility, environment, and culture be tested at the discretion of local school districts. Test specifications and test construction will be decided upon. Action by the board is expected in April of 1977. Local District ~c~bu~g. The Fitchburg School Committee has established Project Competency to coordinate assessment of life skills. Various types of measurement approaches will be developed and field tested to assess third, sixth, and ninth graders. MICHIGAN A criterion-referenced testing program based on competency goals established by the state department of education has been in operation for several years. Test results are made available to school districts. The SDE also works with teacher education institutions in preparing teachers to conduct instruction geared to the state's established minimum competency goals. PAGENO="0104" 100 MICHIGAN (Cont'd) An advisory committee is conaidering use of a bank of items and objectives in basic skills for local school districts. The state board of education has proposed a 12th grade minimal competency test in life skills. Statewide hearings will be conducted in early 1977 to consider the test. Local Districts Bellevue Community Schools are exploring development of a basic skills test for 8th graders and for graduating seniors as a requirement for graduation. Lansing School District has begun preliminary work on determining standards for basic skills and methods of assessment, at junior and high school levels. Lawton Community Schools are interested in tests for grade-level pro1tK~tions. Livonia Public Schools are exploring development of a basic skills test for 8th graders and for graduating seniors as a requirement for graduation. MINNESOTA Interest has been expressed in basic skills assessment, especially for grades 1, 3, and 7. Legislation requiring a reading and writing test for grade prometion is being considered. Bill HF1997 requires school districts to set objectives, evaluate student progress, and report to the comniinity. Local Districts Minneapolis. Under the Accountability Project Advisory Board, the Basic Skills Committee reviewed the Minneapolis public sch3ols' instructional programs in the basic skills and made recommendations to the board of education in 1974. These recommendations for basic skills teating form the basis for present interest. St. Paul. The school board is considering appointing a task force of administrators, teachers, students, and parents to study the feasibility of adopting a competency requirement for high school graduation. White Bear Lake has a basic skills requirement for graduation. The Mid-State Educational Coopera~y~ is developing 23 minimum competency requirements, among them some on the basic skills of reading, writing, math, and life skills. MISSISSIPPI Local Districts De Soto Cou~y is interested i~i~de~eloping evaluation instruments for assessment of the basic skills at the secondary level. Drew School District jnti~oduced competency requirements for grade promotion. 10 / - PAGENO="0105" 101 MISSOURI At the request of the state board of education, the department of elemantary and secondary education developed the Missouri Basic Essential Skills Test, a competency test to certify a minimum skill level among its high school graduates. Three forms of the test will be pilot tested in the spring of 1977 among 8th graders and will be ready for use in the 1977 school year. After July 1, 1978 all Missouri public school students will be required to take the test at the end of 8th grade. Students not passing the test will have several opportunities to take it. The SBE will determine possible mandatory use of the test for high school graduation after the field tests and pilot programs of the test are comp leted. NEBRASKA Elementary and secondary schools are required to establish a minimum performance level in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Schools must readminister the test until mastery has been demonstrated by all students. An evaluation instrument is available from the SDE for schools wishing to use it. Local District Westside Community Schools (District 66) are currently using an outcome evaluation study with some reference to basic skill areas. NEVADA The superintendent of public instruction has appointed (November 1976) an Advisory Commission for a Competency Based High School Diploma Program to advise the SDE in the selection of competency criteria in reading, writing, and arithmetic. NEW JERSEY A.l736. The original bill, passed in 1975, called for the state to set minimum reading and mathematics standards and for local districts to provide rer~edia1 work. Under the amendments, local districts may set lower interim goals and assess students' progress toward those goals. The state board of education adopted regulations requiring local school districts to establish minimum proficiency standards in basic skill areas and provide remediation for children needing it. The Task Force on Competency Indicators and Standards recommended using the present statewide testing program in 1976-77 to implement basic skills minimum standards. However, the task force advised that new tests be developed to measure basic skills or the state Educational Assessment Program be redesigned to measure both curriculum achievement and minimum basic skills. An advisory committee is coordinating the activities of eight working committees focusing on key areas involved in the basic skills/minimum standards effort. Basic skills tested at different grade - 11 - PAGENO="0106" 102 NEW JERSEY (cont'd) levels will be reviewed, a list of recommended basic skills objectives will be submitted to the Commissioner and the State Board, and basic skills test itens will be reviewed for validity. Local District Delaware Valley Regional High School is considering a high school level basic skills test. NEW MEXICO The state department of education will appoint a Task Force to assist the SDE in developing a plan for improving teaching of basic skills and set levels of attainment, to be evaluated at certain checkpoints. The final checkpoint will be a graduation requirement. A certificate would be a possible alternative to a diploma for those who do notpass 12th grade evaluation. Remedial work would be provided. NEW YORK The board of regents approved (May 1976) a resolution establishing the passing of basic competency tests in reading and mathematics as a requirement for receipt of a high school diploma, beginning with the graduating class of June 1979. Students will be tested at the 9th grade level; those passing the test at that point will be considered as having satisfied that portion of the high school graduation requirements. Consideration is being given to incorporating three additional tests into the graduation requirements, effective in June 1980. The three additional tests would be in the areas of (1) civics and citizenship, (2) practical science, including health and drug education, and (3) writing and language skills. These tests were administered to 9th graders in October 1976; pretesting will take place in June 1977. Local Districts Namaroneck Public Schools are developing criterion-referenced tests to evaluate the effectiveness of the new basic skills programa. New York City Board of Education is developing minimum performance standards. The school system is considering raising the reading requirement for high school graduation from the present 8th grade level to 9th grade. NORTH DAKOTA HB 1460 recently introduced, would prescribe high school diplomas and allow diplomas to indicate completion of an optional proficiency test. OHIO SB17O, passed in 1975, mandates assessment (matrix sampling) in the schools, using instruments developed by the state education department. In March/April 1977 the tests will invoLve reading tests for grades 4, 8, 12, and math and English composition tests. ~L recently introduced, specifies that the state administer competency-based tests in grades 3, 6, 9, and 11. - 12 - PAGENO="0107" 103 OHIO (cont'd) Local Districts Cincinnati. A citizens' task force is considering basic skills and their assessment. The use of examination for grade-to-grade promotion or at selected points is being considered. Columbus. The superintendent has proposed basic skills assessment to the school board. P~11.2R. A 9th grade testing program is in operation. The school district is working on a basic skills requirement for the 11th and 12th grades. Mentor Public Schools. The Board of Education requires successful completion of competency exams in the basic skills as a high school graduation requirement. OREGON The state board of education in 1972 established a new high school graduation policy requiring school districts to ensure that minimum standards in locally defined measurable competencies, in addition to course credit and other requirements, were met by their graduating seniors, beginning with the class of 1978. The 1974 revised "Oregon Minimum Standards for Public Schools" extended the concept of competency-based education to elementary and junior high schools. Revisions in 1976 require school districts to verify that students have minimal competencies only in the basic skills in order to receive a high school diploma. Districts will assess the reading, writing, and computing skills in three programs of their choice beginning with the class of 1978. Assessments in additional areas, as identified by local districts, will be required by 1981. Districts may choose to use the areas of personal development, social responsibility, and career development, or may develop their own. The Northwest Regional Evaluation Association is developing an item bank for assessing minimum graduation standards, created in the Portland Public Schools and three surrounding counties. PENNSYLVANIA As part of an overall plan to review the quality of education in the state, the state board of education has developed Project 81. Under Project 81, goals of education are being redefined. School programs will be revised to reflect those goals, and new requirements will be set for graduating students. Such requirements will be based on evidence of minimum competencies in basic skills in four life roles, in addition to courses taken, credits, and Carnegie units. Twelve model districts have been selected to work with the state in this effort. Project 81 states that by 1978-79 the model districts will revise graduation requirements and implement a revised assessment program. The state board of education will revise curriculum regulations, based on the work of the 12 model districts and the department of education. Revisions are being made in the statewide assessment--an enlarged test for verbal and math areas, and a new test in written expression, with emphasis on reading comprehension and computational and problem-solving areas. - 13 - PAGENO="0108" 104 PENNSYLVANIA (Cont'd) Local District Lancaster school district has developed an Applied Basic Skills program. Philadelphia School District administered a test of functional literacy to public high school seniors in October 1976. The board of education plans to test for basic skills. RHODE ISLAND The Statewide Assessment Program eventually will be based on performance indicators. The state has developed basic skills and performance indicators with the expectation that assessment will be devised at the local level. State regulations for the Local Planning Assessment Program (LPAP) will be used on a provisional basis in 1977. The state is interested in constructing objective-based tests and is exploring the possibility of generating an extensive data bank geared to state inatructional objectives relating to basic skills. Local District. The Alternative Learning Project in Providence involves minimal competency activity. TEXAS The state board of education adopted, in March 1975, long-range objectives pertaining to "attainment of essential knowledge, skills, and competencies" in reading and math to be required of high school graduates. Minimal reading and math competencies have been formulated by the Texas Education Agency and the 20 regional education service centers, following a series of meetings with lay representatives and educators. Several plans for implementation of a basic skills program will be considered by the state legislature in 1977. VIRGINIA The state has mandated minimum competency requirements for several levels and graduation. Under MB 256 (Standards of Quality~ē~, each school division is to give instructional priority to developing the reading, communications, and mathematics skills of all students, with particular attention to the primary grades (K-3) and the intermediate grades (4-6). Remedial work for low-achieving students will be provided. By September of 1978, the state board of education, in cooperation with local districts, will be required to establish specific minimum statewide educational objectives and a uniform statewide test in reading, communications and mathematics skills. By July 1, 1978, students will be required to demon- strate functional literacy in those skills for high school graduation. Local District. Greenville Coun4y has adopted minimum graduation standards. - 14 - PAGENO="0109" 105 WASHINGTON SB 3026. Requires that school districts, with community participation, will develop learning objectives for grades kindergarten through eight. The state department has interpreted that these objectives will be stated in behavioral terem and that the objectives will be measured for actual student attainment at least annually. HB 1345, 1976. Requires that all fourth grade students be given a standar~- ized achievement test in the reading, mathematics, and language arts for purposes of district, state, and national level comparison. A sample of 3,000 students at the eighth and eleventh grades will be tested for the same purpose. The school districts are encouraged to establish a separate test for the second grade for the early identification of pupils needing assistance in language and computational skills. WISCONSIN State Department of Education, The state superintendent has appointed a "blue ribbon committee" to study minimal standards for local districts and make recommendations on the department of public instruction's role in competency based education. Local Districts Nanitowoc Public School District has adopted a proficiency testing requirement. ~p~~pand Milwaukee schools are also working on minimal competency requirements. REFERENCES RELATING TO MINIMAL COMPETENCY TESTING 1. ~pgpp~ncy Tests and Graduation Requirements. National Association of Secondary School Principals. Reston, Virginia, 1976. 2. Graduation Requirements. An NASSP Special Task Force Report. Reston: NASSP, 1975. 3. This We Believe. A statement on secondary education prepared by the Task Force on Secondary Schools in a Changing Society. Reston: NASSP, 1975. 4. The 12th Grade: A Critical year. Reston: NASSP, 1975. 5. Graduation Requirements. A Discussion Guide. Reston: NASSP, 1976. 6. ~ tin Ealy: The Question of an Equivalency Examination for F~prida ~ Princeton: Educational Testing Service 1976. 7. Handbook of Management Standards for Awarding High School Di~qgp~. Boston: Massachusetts Advisory Council on Education, 1975. 8. ~ Competency Testing Conference Report. Denver: Education Commission of the States, 1976. 9. pp~~jhe California Commission for Reform of Intermediate and Secondary 0, L.B. Newcomer, Ch. Sacramento: California State Department of Education, 1975. 10. The Need for Statewide Minimum Competencies in a Thorough and Efficient ~~p.iopygj~g~. A report of the New Jersey Education Reform Project. Newark: New Jersey Education Reform Project, 1976. 15 - PAGENO="0110" 106 DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME AVAILABLE MEASURES Adult Perf ormance Level Prog~g~; cl976; Grade 9-Adults; The American College Testing Program (P.O. Box 168, Iowa City, Iowa 52240). This program is concerned with those coping skills and knowledge areas necessary for an individual's functional competency. The APL Survey is designed to diagnose and evaluate those competencies critical to adult functioning in society. It focuses on the application of basic skills (identification of facts and terms, reading, writing, computation, problem solving) in five content areas (comsunity resources, occupational knowledge, consumer education, health, government, and law). The survey is available in adult and high school forms. In-depth tests in the five content areas are being prepared. Basic Skills Assessment Prog~; c1977; Grades 8-12; Educational Testing Service,. (Rosedale Road, Princeton, NJ 08540). This program is being developed cooperatively by Educational Testing Service and a consortium of school districts. It is designed to assist the teacher in helping students gain mastery of the basic skills of reading, writing, and mathematics. Secondary schools can use the program to decide whether students have sufficient basic skills mastery to meet the requirements for high school graduation, or in general to be able to cope with the demands of society. The tests are designed to be administered in the 8th or 9th grade to aid in the identification of students who should receive additional instruction in the basic skills. Secure examinations, in reading, mathematics, and writing, focus on the application of skills to important real-life situations. An optional direct measure of writing is available with the writing test. The first operational administration of the Basic Skills Assessment will be in May 1977. Test of General Educational Development; c1944-Present; Adults; American Council on Education (One Dupont Circle, Washington, DC 20036). The primary aim of the test of GED is to assess the educational development of adults who have not completed their formal high school education. Through achievement of satisfactory scores, adults may earn a high school equivalency certificate, qualify for admission to more advanced education, meet educational requirements for employment or promotion, satisfy educa- tional qualifications for induction into the Armed Services, and meet regulations of state and local boards of licensing examiners for admission to licensing examinations. GED is a battery of five comprehensive examin- ations: Correctness and Effectiveness of Expression, Interpretation of Reading Materials in the Social Sciences, Interpretation of Reading Materials in the Natural Sciences, Interpetation of Literary Materials, and General Mathematical Ability. Tests are available in English, Spanish, and French. - 16 - PAGENO="0111" 107 AnETS Information Report: BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT AROUND THE NATION (Interim Update) In February, 1977, Educational Testing Service compiled and published a comprehensive report on various federal, state, and local school district activities relating to minimum standards and basic skills assessment. The information contained in this packet is an interim update of that report. A complete revised issue of Basic Skills Assessment Around the Nation will be published in September, 1977. This update describes activities that are very much part of a continuing process, subject to change and modification. Legislation indicated as being in committee may not have been reported out or may still be pending. In other cases it may have been signed into *law. With that caution, the information in this report should prove useful as an indication of the broad range and variety of activities related to basic skills occuring at the state and local level across the nation. ETS Information Division, which compiled this report, acknowledges the provision of invaluable data by Chris Pipho of the Education Commission of the States, Denver, Colorado. Activities at the Federal Level 1. HR 6088, introduced by Ronald L. Mottl in April 1977, would require State educational agencies to "establish basic standards of educational proficiency applicable to secondary school students." Students would be required to pass a proficiency examination in reading, writing, and arithmetic in order to graduate. The bill would also establish a National Commission on Basic Education, representing state and local education, with authority to review and approve plans submitted by state educational agencies for the establishment of specific standards. 2. Assistant Secretary for Education, Nary Berry, on July 14 recommended that her office and the National Institute of Education develop a voluntary standardized national basic skills competency test, measuring reading, writing and ari.thmetic at various grade levels. The new recommendation was made at a hearing before the Senate education subcommittee, where Senator Claiborne Pell and Admiral Ilyman Rickover both expressed strong support of a national standardized test. Rickover has for many years advocated a national test to measure specific minimum competency require- ments for various grade levels starting In' the early elementary grades. Berry expressed concern, however, that problems connected with such a test exist and must be dealt with. June 1977 PAGENO="0112" 108 Activities at the State and Local District Level ALABAMA SB79 would require local school boards to develop, by June 1978, standards of proficiency to evaluate student progress in the performance of academic and basic skills. The state department of education would assist local boards of education in developing examples of minimal academic standards for graduation including performance indicators. After June 1980, students * would be required to demonstrate proficiency in the basic skills in order to graduate. The bill will be considered in the next legislative session. ALASKA * Local District Craig Alternative School is conducting minimal competency activities. North Slppg, Galena, Adak, and Southwest Region School Distr~ctR are working on designing competency-based curricula. ARIZONA As of January 1, 1976, the state board of education required school districts to certify that 8th grade graduating students are able to read, write, and compute at the 6th grade level. Students graduating from high school must demonstrate proficiency in those skills at the 9th grade level. 112160 would require the state school superintendent and the state board of education to develop a statewide standard testing program for grades 1-12. The results of the tests would be correlated to individual pupils' class sizes, teachers, teachers' experience and salaries. The state board of education would also be mandated to divide class time of 2nd - 6th grades into specific "verbal and quantitative segments." CALIFORNIA The California High School Proficiency Test, covering the basic skills of reading, math and computation skills, and consumer economics, is adminis- tered to 16- and l7-year-olds. Those who pass receive a proficiency certificate legally equivalent to a high school diploma and may leave high school with parent permission. The test is administered three times a year. In 1976, SB 1502, Ch. 315, opened the California High School Proficiency Examinations to *any persons 16 years of age or over, or to anyone who has been enrolled in the 10th grade for one or more academic years. School districts that operate high schools are required to adopt assessable graduation standards of proficiency in the areas of reading, writing, and computation by June 1978, and to assess student progress toward these standards once during grade 7 through 9 and twice between grades 10 and 11. (AB3408, September 1976.) PAGENO="0113" 109 CALIFORNIA (cont'd) AN 357 would require elementary School districts by June 1, 1979, to adopt standards of proficiency in the basic skills. This bill would have students tested at least twice during the fourth through sixth grades and at least once from sixth through eighth grades. Conferences between pupil/parent! principal/teachers would be required if the pupil falls short of the standards. The district must provide, for those students who do not meet district standards, a diagnostic and prescriptive remedial instruction conference or alternative ways of satisfying the district's course of study. After June 1980, students who do not meet these standards will not receive a high school diploma. Local District Los Angeles. Beginning in June of 1979, the Los Angeles Unified School District will require its graduating seniors to pass the Senior High Assessment of Reading Proficiency (SHARP) test in order to receive a diploma. Students will have up to four opportunities to pass the test; remedial instruction will be provided. Announcement of the SHARP test by the district has generated considerable interest by other districts. COLORADO No special proficiency testing is required by the state beyond regular requirements for graduation from the 12th grade. Local school districts are free to impose such tests, but must fulfill certain conditions if they *choose to do so. Local District The Denver Public Schools administer their own minimum competency tests for high school graduation, have done so since 1962. The tests cover reading, spelling, math, and language mechanics. Remedial instruction is provided for those who do not pass the tests. CONNECTICUT A Statewide Advisory Committee for Proficiency Testing appointed by the state department of education is studying recommendations on developing a high school equivalent competency-based certificate. A final report to the board focused primarily on equivalency testing involving the possible use of the APL (Texas) and the GED measures. The committee will continue for a year's time. DELAWARE The state department of education is developing a list of general corn- petencies to be used as a prerequisite for high school graduation, as required by the state board of education in its resolution of December 1976. Sonic exploratory work is being done, using the Adult Performance Level materials. The department of education expects that it will have a plan for competency based education for 9th grade. 95.035 Q - 77 . PAGENO="0114" 110 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA A competency-based curriculum has been developed by the superintendent and approved by the board in October 1976. The program includes pro- and post- testing at each grade level. Newly revised board of education rules specify satisfactory achievement of competency at the required skill level for grade promotion. FLORIDA CSSB 107 (1976) mandates competency requirements based on mastery of basic skills and functional literacy. Programs of pupil progression based upon performance are required as of July 1, 1977, tied to local goals and objectives. Performance in basic skills will be stressed (on statewide tests) before students may progress from grades 3, 5, 8, and 11. By the 1978-79 school year, school districts must establish standards for high school graduation, to include mastery of basic skills and satis- factory performance in functional literacy, in addition to the number of credits required by the district school board. Each district is required to provide remediation for students needing it. Alternative diplomas must be awarded to those students unable to meet the standards prescribed. NB 203 would permit school districts to conduct dismissal hearings for instructional personnel for failure to teach students to reach state minimum performance standards. Local Districts Duval County, Jacksonville. High school seniors will take a test of functional literacy. West Palm Beach. The school board requires all high school juniors to take the Adult Performance Level test. Satisfactory performance on this test will become a graduation requirement, beginning with the class of 1978. Broward County, Polk County. Both counties are developing K-l2 perfor- mance standards. GEORGIA The state dej~artment of education has a statewide criterion-referenced testing program for the 4th, 8th, and 10th grades. The tests, which are diagnostic, provide an individual profile in 20 basic skill areas. The state board `of education is investigating the possibility of changing high school graduation requirements to include minimal proficiency standards for the life role skills, including specific recommendations for the student as the learner, the individual, the citizen, the consumer, and the producer. The recommendations are modeled after the Oregon high school graduation requirements. At the request of. the state board, the department of education is conducting a major redesign of the Georgia School Standards, the first such major overhaul since the Standards were first administered. Local District. * Clarke County School District will require proficiency in the basic skills to graduate, beginning with thegraduating class of 1980. The school district is exploring the use of a minimum competency requirement for grade-to-grade promotion. PAGENO="0115" 111 HAWAII Local District The Kamehameha Schools (private) are conducting a curricular revision study that will investigate minimal competency structures and their influence on actual instructional programs. IDAHO The Idaho State Board of Education adopted new graduation requirements, in February 1977, and a proficiency program, optional to school districts, that measures competency in reading, writing, arithmetic and spelling prior to high school graduation. Participating districts will be required to give the test beginning in the ninth grade and to provide remedial work for those students who do not pass. Students in participating districts will graduate with a diploma bearing the state board of education seal. Other students will receive certificates of attendance or a plain diploma. ILLINOIS The department of education is exploring the use of some form of minimum competency testing in basic skills and is considering developing a bank of objectives and items for use by school districts. HB1364 would require the successful. passage of reading, writing and mathematics proficiency tests as a condition for high school graduation. Local Districts Chicago. The Board of Education is moving toward setting standards for high school graduation. Pilot examinations have been prepared and administered. A study is being done to determine an effective function- ing level, involving young adults performing satisfactorily on the job, as a validation effort. Peoria Public School District is developing a minimum competency examination for high school graduation, beginning with the graduating class of 1979. INDIANA Local District ~jgg~. The board of education has adopted proficiency standards for high school graduation, effective in 1977. Proficiency in the basic skills of writing, reading, math, and oral communication will be required. In the fall of 1976 and in June 1977, Gary high school students wrote essays for the purpose of identifying students needing remedial help in writing. Centralized scoring of these examinations was conducted by Gary teachers with the assistance of Educational Testing Service. IOWA SF252 would require all students to pass tests in reading, writing, and mathematics in order to graduate. The program would begin in July 1980. Local District Metro High School, Cedar Rapids, is involved in minimal competency activity. PAGENO="0116" 112 KANSAS NB 2139 would require local boards of education to adopt standards and prescribe an examination for proficiency in the basic educational skills. After June 30, 1981, the state board of education would certify that high school graduates have met the state "basic educational skills" standards. Students not meeting the standards will be certified as having completed attendance in a four-year course of study. Prior to July 1, 1978, the state board of education, in cooperation with the state board of regents, would determine and establish standards of proficiency in academic skills (also a standardized examination) for students preparing for admission to state colleges and universities. SF268. The state board of education would be required, prior to July of 1978, to adopt standards of proficiency in the basic skills for graduation from high school. The state would prescribe a standardized examination and set standards of proficiency; local boards would administer the test and certify to the state those students passing the test. The proficiency examination would be administered twice each year. KENTUCKY Interest. has been expressed in minimal competency in basic skills as a requirement for high school graduation. The State Board of Education has instructed the State Department of Education to make a study of competency based education and minimal requirements for high school graduation. The use of the GED test for high school equivalency is being investigated. LOUISIANA The State Board of Education will include, at the request of the State Department of Education, a study of minimal competency testing within the development of a state master plan for education. MAiNE Legislative document #1810, an act to establish assessment of student performance in the basic skills, directs the Commissioner of education to study the whole question of basic competency testing. The Commissioner will administer a basic competency test to all high school juniors in the fall of 1977. The Commissioner is directed to prepare appropriate assessment materials. A citizens' committee will study the question, review the procedures and will report back to the legislature by January 1978. LU 734 Basic Attainment of Skills in Children Act would provide for a program of basic skills. Mastery of certain skills, along with the success- ful completion of courses and teacher recommendations, would be requirements for high school graduation. (Pending) The Commissioner of Education and Cultural Services conducted a series of statewide meetings to Obtain a consensus of what Maine citizens feel "should be a partial condition for graduation from secondary school." For the State Department of Education, committees of educators are formula- ting basic competencies in reading, writing, and mathematics. PAGENO="0117" 113 MARYLAND The state department of education has developed the Maryland basic mastery test for reading, administered in 6th, 9th, and 12th grades. This "survival reading test" is also being administered in the fall of each school year to grades 7 and 11 as part of the statewide accountability program. The state board of education and staff of the department of education are in the process of developing a second basic mastery area, mathematics. Under Project Basic, approved by the State Board of Education in January 1977, the state prescribes progressively advanced minimum performance reading levels for all grades. MB 1462 specifies that students in grades three, seven, and nine through eleven (previously two through seven) who have not met "either a minimum grade level competency" or the minimum reading level prescribed by the state board for the previous grade shall be retained in the current grade or enrolled in a reading assistance program "as part of his or her instruc- tional program." MASSACHUSETTS MB 3284. The state board of education would develop examinations for testing competency in the areas of mathematics, social studies, science, English! literature, language, and business. The tests would be reviewed each year and administered at the end of ninth, tenth and eleventh grades. The state board of education would establish passing scores for each test and determine standards for a high school diploma issued by the state. The Advisory Committee on High School Graduation Requirements has made a preliminary report to the state board of education, outlining basic skill areas in which students should be tested before graduation. The Board approved the report and has set up an official committee to conduct hearings relating to basic skills testing, including mathematics and communications skills. Local District Fitchburg. The Fitchburg School Committee has established Project Competency to coordinate assessment of life skills. A skills achievement monitoring system is being used to help teachers keep track of student progress in the basic skills. MICHIGAN A criterion-referenced testing program based on competency goals established by the state department of education has been in operation for several years. Test results are made available to school districts. Tue SHE also works with teacher education institutions in preparing teachers to conduct instruction geared to the state's established minimum competency goals. An advisory committee is considering use of a bank of items and objectives in basic skills for local school districts. The State Board of Education has proposed a 12th grade minimal competency test in life skills. PAGENO="0118" 114 MICHIGAN (Cont'd) Local Districts Bellevue Community Schools are exploring development of a basic skills test for 8th graders and for graduating seniors as a requirement for graduation. In March a committee of the High School Parent Council in East Lansing recommended increased requirements and thorough pre-graduation testing *in English, math, science, and social studies. It further recommended a minimum reading level of tenth grade for a diploma. Lansing School District is working on standards for basic skills and methods of assessment, at junior and high school levels. Lawton Community Schools are interested in tests for grade-level promotions. Livonia Public Schools are exploring development of a basic skills test for 8th graders and for graduating seniors as a requirement for graduation. MINNESOTA Interest has been expressed in basic skills assessment, especially for grades 1, 3, and 7. Legislation requiring a reading and writing test for grade promotion is being considered. Local Districts Minneapolis. Under the Accountability Project Advisory Board, the Basic Skills Committee reviewed the Minneapolis public schools' instructional programs in the basic skills and made recommendations to the board of education in 1974. These recommendations for basic skills testing form the basis for present interest. St. Paul. The school board is considering appointing a task force of administrators, teachers, students, and parents to study the feasibility of adopting a competency requirement for high school graduation. White Bear Lake has a basic skills requirement for graduation. The Mid-State Educational Cooperative is developing minimum competency requirements, among them some on the basic skills of reading, writing, math, and life skills. Pending: HF44 provides that the Commissioner of Education, prior to June 30, 1978, shall establish desirable mnimum standards of reading achievement for pupils completing grades 3, 6, 9, and 12. The bill would also give funding to the state department of education for the development and dissemination of tests and for teachers and consultants. HF 118 provides for a statewide program of assessment of minimal competency in reading, math, language arts and other general subject areas. It would also provide for a program of remedial aid for the 25 percent of the students who have the greatest need. MISSISSIPPI Local Districts De Soto County is interested in developing evaluation instruments for assessment of the basic skills at the secondary level. Drew School District introduced competency requirements for grade promotion. PAGENO="0119" 115 MISSOURI At the request of the state board of education, the department of elementary and secondary education developed the Missouri Basic Essential Skills Test, a competency test to certify a minimum skill level among its high school graduates. Three forms of the test were pilot tested in the spring of 1977 among 8th graders and will be ready for use in the 1977 school year. After July 1, 1978 all Missouri public school students will be required to take the test at the end of 8th grade. Students not passing the test will have several opportunities to pass the test. The SBE will determine possible mandatory use of the test for high school graduation after the field tests and pilot programs of the test are completed. NEBRASKA Elementary and secondary schools are required to establish a minimum performance level in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Schools must readminister the test until mastery has been demonstrated by all students. An evaluation instrument is available from the SDE for schools wishing to use it. Local District Westside Community Schools (District 66) are currently using an ~utcome evaluation study with some reference to basic skill areas. The first senior class to take minimum competency tests was graduated in June. NEVADA The superintendent of public instruction appointed (November 1976) an Advisory Commission for a Competency Based Nigh School Diploma Program to advise the SDE in the selection of competency criteria in reading, writing, and arithmetic. Assembly Bill 400, mandating competency-based testing in Nevada schools, became law July 1, 1977. The Nevada State Board of Education has been working on a Competency-Based High School Diploma Program since January 1976. The bill requires the testing of students prior to the completion of the third and sixth grades during the next school year. Other dates for standard proficiency examinations are: Crades three, six and nine, 1978-81; and grades three, six, nine and 12, 1981-82 and thereafter. The State Board of Education has directed the Department of Education *staff to complete a detailed analysis of the provisions of A.B. 400 to be reviewed by the Legislative Council Bureau. Department of Education staff will make recommendations in the process of developing minimum competency measurement instruments. Twelfth-grade students will not be involved until 1982. Minimum competency examinations in arithmetic, reading and writing should be available for use no later than the 1979-80 school year. PAGENO="0120" 116 NEW JERSEY A.l736. The original bill, passed in 1975, called for the state to set minimum reading and mathematics standards and for local districts to provide remedial work. Under the amendments, local districts may set lower interim goals and assess students' progress toward those goals. The state board of education adopted regulations requiring local school districts to establish minimum proficiency standards in basic skill areas and provide remediation for children needing it. An advisory committee is coordinating the activities of eight working committees focusing on key areas involved inthe basic skills/minimum standards effort. New minimum basic skills tests in reading and mathematics will be administered to grades 3, 6, 9 and ll.in April of 1978. This program will replace the New Jersey Educational Assessment Program. A committee created by the State Board of Education is examining current statewide requirements for high school graduation. Local District Delaware Valley Regional High School is considering a high school level basic skills test. NEW MEXICO A Task Force will assist the SDE in developing a plan for improving teaching of basic skills and setting levels of attainment, to be evaluated at certain checkpoints. The final checkpoint will be a graduation requirement. A certificate would be a possible alternative to a diploma for those who do not pass 12th grade evaluation. Remedialwork would be provided. NEW YORK The board of regents approved (May 1976) a resolution establishing the passing of basic competency tests in reading and mathematics as a require- ment for receipt of a high school diploma, beginning with the graduating class of June 1979. Students will be tested at the 9th grade level; those passing the test at that point will be considered as having satisfied that portion of the high school graduation requirements. Three additional tests were incorporated into the graduation require- ments effective in June 1980, in the areas of (1) civics and citizenship, (2) practical science, including health .and drug education, and (3) writing and language skills. The state has developed a new Basic Competency Test in Writing Skills which all students must pass to obtain a high school diploma. The new writing skills test was first administered in October 1976, and will be administered again in January and June of 1978. Schools having students who fail the new skills test will be given remedial work. Local District Mamaroneck Public Schools are developing criterion-referenced tests to evaluate the effectiveness of the new basic skills programs. PAGENO="0121" 117 NEW YORK (cont'd) New York City. The Board of Education is developing minimum performance standards. The school system is considering raising the reading require- ment for high school graduation from the present 8th grade level to 9th grade. A special pilot program in basic writing skills will begin at the tenth grade level at 15 public high schools and six. nonpublic high schools in September 1977. The program, designed to encourage and improve the expository writing skills of the secondary level students, is titled WEDGE (Writing Every Day Generates Excellence). NORTH CAROLINA Pending: S DRS4507, a bill that would provide for a high school graduation competency test. The Governor, upon recommendation of the State Superintend- ent of Public Instruction would appoint a Competency Test Commission on or before July 1, 1977. After the adoption of.tests and minimum graduation standards by the State Board of Education tests would be administered to all eleventh grade students in the public schools in the spring of 1979. Students who fail to attain the required minimum standard for graduation in the eleventh grade would be given additional opportunities to take the test in the twelfth grade. NORTH DAKOTA 118 1460 would prescribe high school diplomas and allow diplomas to indicate completion of an optional proficiency test. OHIO SB17O, passed in 1975, mandates assessment (matrix sampling) in the schools, using instruments developed by the state education department. The tests involve reading tests for grades 4, 8, 12, and math and English composition. ~ recently introduced, specifies that the state administer competency-based tests in grades 3, 6, 9, and 11. Local Districts Cincinnati. A citizens' task force is considering basic skills and their assessment. The use of examination for grade-to-grade promotion or at selected points is being considered. Columbus. The superintendent has proposed basic skills assessment to the school board. )~gp~. A 9th grade testing program is in operation. The school district is working on a basic skills requirement for the 11th and 12th grades. Mentor Public Schools. The Board of Education has required successful completion of competency exams in the basic skills as a high school graduation requirement. PAGENO="0122" 118 OREGON -. The state board of education in 1972 established a new high school gradua- tion policy requiring school districts to ensure that minimum standards in locally defined measurable competencies, in addition to course credit and other requirements, were met by their graduating seniors, beginning with the class of 1978. The 1974 revised "Oregon Minimum Standards for Public Schools" extended the concept of competency-based education to elementary and junior high schools. Revisions in 1976 require school districts to verify that students have minimal competencies in the basic skills in order to receive a high school diploma. Districts will assess the reading, writing, and computing skills in 3 programs of their choice beginning with the class of 1978. Assessments in additional areas, as identified by local districts, will be required by 1981. Districts may choose to use the areas of personal development, social responsibility, and career development, or may develop their own. An Educational Development Resource Center has been set up to provide districts with assistance in implementing the competency-based requirements. PENNSYLVANIA As part of an overall plan to review the quality of education in the state, the state board of education has developed Project 81. Under Project 81, goals of education are being redefined. School programs will be revised to reflect those goals, and new requirements will be set for graduating students. Such requirements will be based on evidence of minimum competen- des in basic skills in four life roles, in addition to courses taken, credits, and Carnegie units. Twelve model districts have been selected to work with the state in this effort. Project 81 states that by 1978-79 the model districts will revise graduation requirements and implement a revised assessment program. The state board of education will revise curriculum regulations, based on the work of the 12 model districts and the department of education. Revisions are being made in the statewide assessment program--an enlarged test for verbal and math areas, and a new test in written expression, with emphasis on reading comprehension and computational and problem-Rolving areas. Local District Lancaster school district has developed an Applied Basic Skills program. Philadelphia School District administered a test of functional literacy to public high school seniors in October 1976. The board of education plans to test for basic skills. Philadelphia is one of se,eral hundred school districts in the U.S. and Canada working cooperatively on the development of a program for basic skills assessment. RHODE 1SLAND The Statewide Assessment Program eventually will be based on performance indicators. The state has developed basic skills and performance indicators with the expectation that assessment will be devised at the local level. PAGENO="0123" 119 RHODE ISLAND (cont'd) State regulations for the Local Planning Assessment Program (LPAP) are being used on a provisional basis in 1977. The state is interested in constructing objective-based tests and is exploring the possibility of generating an extensive data bank geared to state instructional objectives relating to basic skills. Local District. The Alternative Learning Project in Providence involves minimal competency activity. TEXAS The state board of education adopted, in March 1975, long-range objectives pertaining to "attainment of essential knowledge, skills, and competencies" in reading and math to be required of high school graduates. ilinimal reading and math competencies have been formulated by the Texas Education Agency and the 20 regional education service centers, following a series of meetings with lay representatives and educators. Several plans for imple- mentation of a basic skills program will be considered by the state legisla- ture in 1977. UTAH The State Board of Education adopted a new policy that requires students to meet minimum standards of achievement including demonstration of competency in some subjects In order to graduate from high school. VERNONT In July 1976, the state board of education approved a list of 51 competencies that will be required for a high school diploma beginning with the class of 1981. The list covers reading, writing, speaking, listening, and mathematics. Testing is not mandated. School districts are in the process of implementation. VIRGINIA The state has mandated minimun competency requirements for several levels and graduation. Under NB 256 (Standards of Quality Act), each school division is to give Instructional priority to developing the reading, communications, and mathematics skills of all students, with particular attention to the primary grades (K-3) and the intermediate grades (4-6). Remedial work for low-achieving students will be provided. By~ September of 1978, the state board of education, in cooperation with local districts, will be required to establish specific minimum statewide educational objectives and a uniform statewide test in reading, communications and mathematics skills. After July 1, 1978, students will be required to demonstrate basic competency in those skills for high school graduation. PAGENO="0124" 120 VIRGINIA (cont'd) Guidelines are being prepared to help school divisions meet the high school graduation competencies. Local District. Greenville County has adopted minimum graduation standards. WASHINGTON The question of minimal competency testing is being given consideration by the state department of education. WEST VIRGINIA Local District Kanawha County, Charleston has several committees studying minimal competency issues. WISCONSIN State Department of Education. The state superintendent has appointed a "blue ribbon committee" to study minimal standards for local districts and make recommendations on the department of public instructiOn's role in competency based education. Local Districts Nanitowoc Public School District has adopted a proficiency testing requirement. Spartaand Nilwaukee schools are also working on minimal competency requirements. PAGENO="0125" 121 Educational Testing Service July 27, 1977 Princeton, N.J. 08540 REPORT OF NEW TESTS AND SERVICES DESIGNED TO ASSIST EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES IN TITLE I EVALUATION The following is an overview of new tests and services reported by test publishers of the eight commonly used, nationally normed tests. California Achievement Test (CTB/McGraw-Hill). The publisher is planning to prepare NCEs for CAT/A and B. New test forms have been developed: CAT/C/D for grades K-l2. Form C is scheduled for publication in Fall 1977 and Form D in Spring 1978. Tests have been designed to combine characteristics of norm-and criterion-referenced tests. The Locater Test may be utilized to assign students of varying abilities to appro- priate test levels. National norms were established for CAT/C by a stratified random-sampling procedure. ~pmprehensive Test of Basic Skills. (CTB/McGraw-Hill). There has been a 1975 expanded test edition which will be ready in Spring. Group NCEs will be provided in the new technical bulletin to be published in Spring 1977 and individual NCEs will be available in Fall 1977. Gates-MacGinitie Reading Tests. (Teachers College Press). The publisher is in the process of completely revising the test. It will have fall and spring norms and will be available in January or Spring, 1978. Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. (Houghton-Mifflin). Publisher has developed empirical Spring norms to provide fall to spring testing. New services include NCE scores and Title I evaluation to begin in Spring 1977. Alao, the publisher has revised the Nelson Reading Skills Test for grades 3-9. Test was standardized in 1976 and has empirical fall and spring norms. The publisher will provide NCE scores. *Metropolitan Achievement Test. (Psychological Corporation/Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich). The publisher has established a task force to keep track of developments in the area of Title I evaluation and to determine what interpretative aids are needed to be developed for Title I people. The task force is investigating the compatibility of each of the publisher's major achievement series with the RNC models. The task force is also analyzing data services provided in light of the requests the publisher is most likely to receive from users. *Stanford Achievement Test. (Psychological Corporation/Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich). The publisher reported that the newly published Stanford Diagnostic Reading and Mathematics Teats were apparently finding wide use for Title I evaluation. SRA Achievement Series. (Science Research Associates, Inc.). It was reported that the publisher is thinking about NCEs and anticipating revision. Sequential Tests of Educational Progress. (Educational Testing Service). The test is now being revised and will be available in the Fall 1978. STEP III will have spring and fall norms and will provide NCEs. Will have a locater test. *Publishers' Title I Committee sent memorandum to Title I TAC. (3/14/77) Reported that they have not yet incorporated NCE scores into scoring/ reporting systems. PAGENO="0126" 122 BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT SAMPLE TEST MATHEMATICS The purpose of this test is to see how well you can do the kind of mathematics that many people believe is important. Each question in the test is followed by four suggested answers. Read each question and then decide which one of the four suggested answers is best. Find the row of spaces on your answer sheet which has the same number as the question. In this row, mark the space having the same letter as the answer you have chosen. Try to answer every question. There is no penalty for guessing. Do not spend too much time on any one question. There are 20 questions in the test. Unless otherwise indicated, all figures are drawn to scale. You may do your scratchwork in the booklet. Sample Question Sample Answer 54 - -48 (A) 6 (B) 7 (C) 16 (D) 102 The correct answer to this question is lettered A, so space A is marked. DO NOT BEGIN UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO. PAGENO="0127" 123 1. 3,794 - 288 = (A) 2,916 (B) 3,406 (C) 3,506 (D) 3,516 2. 14.75 + .9 = (A) 23.75 (B) 15.65 (C) 14.55 (D) 14.84 3. 5812 - 175 is about (A) 5000- 100 (B) 5000 - 200 (C) 5800 - 100 (D) 5800 - 200 4. 0.09 is about (A) 10 (B) 1 (C) -j~ (D) ru~ 32 98.6 2i2 10~, . .9 ~ ,~, l~o,, 29of -40 -20 0 20 0 60 80 00 `C ~ 5. The figure above relates Fahrenheit temperatures (upper scale) to centigrade temperatures (lower male). Which centigrade temperature is equal to 50' Fahrenheit? (A) 5'C (B) 10'C (C) 15'C (D) 104' C 7. The reading shown on the scale above is (A) 6.8 (B) 7.1 (C) 7.2 (D) 8.2 8. The height of a building is most likely to be measured in (A) millimeters (B) centimeters (C) meters (D) kilometers 98 5 .5 4_ (A) 2 (B) (C) (0) 10. (A) 0.37 (B) 0.375 (C) 0.38 (D) 37.5 GO ON TO ThE NEXT PAGE. 6. About how many kilograms is 996 grams? (A) 0.1 (B) 1 (C) 9 (D) 10 PAGENO="0128" 11. Which number is NOT equal to 6.25 100 (A) 625 (B) (C) 6~ (0) 625% 12. A roll of quarters cost $10. How many quarters are in a roll? (A) 40 (B) 80 (C) 250 (0) 400 GROWTH CHART OF A CAT. BIRTH TO ONE YEAR 13. According to the graph, a kitten gains the least weight daring which age span? (A) Birth to 3 months (B) 3 months to 6 months (C) 6 months to 9 months (0) 9 months to 1 year 124 ELECTRIC RATES $3.50 for the first 20 KWH 4.20~ per KWH for the next 80 KWH 4,lOg per KWH for the next 200 KWH MINIMUM BILL $3.50 14. Using the rate schedule, what is the charge for 60 KWH of electricity? (A) $5.18 (B) $3.50 (C) $2.52 (D) $1.68 .3. 15. A room is 12 feet wide and 15 feet long. Mr. Lopez wants to put 2 coats of paint on the ceiling. He must bay enough paint te voter how many square feet? (A) 24 (B) 30 (C) 150 (D) 360 1~ SALE BUY ONE AT REGULAR PRICE GET THE SECOND FOR 1) 16. Mrs. Thomas bought two tubes of toothpaste at the sale. The regular price was $1.89. The average price per tube is how much less than the regular price? (A) $1.89 (B) $1.88 (C) $0.94 (D) $0.07 Age in Months GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. PAGENO="0129" F~ELF-SERVICEI GASOLINE 56.8 /gaI)o~j 17. The same gasoline is 63.2~ a gallon at a Full Service station, flow much is saved buying 16 gallons at the Self Service? (A) $1.02 (B) $9.09 (C) $10.11 (D) $10.24 18. Mrs. Wong has to be at work at 8:45. If she allows 1 hour and 20 minutes to get there, what is the latest she can leave home? (A) A quarter to 8 (B) S after 8 (C) Half past 7 (D) 25 after 7 125 [~~NTC SALE BIG $400 TV NO MONEY DOWN ONLY $iAWEEK 19. 11 you buy this TV, about how many years must you expect to keep paying for it? (A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 4 (0) 8 20. If state sales tax is S%, what is the amount of tax on a $400 washing machine? (A) $2 (B) $5 (C) $20 (0) $50 IF YOU FINISH BEFORE TIt'~ IS UP, CHECK YOUR WORK ON THE SMfPLE TEST. 95-038 0 - 77 - 9 PAGENO="0130" Rea4~p~ 126 BASIC SKILLS SANPLE TEST QUESTIONS Question 7 refers to the following forts. °`~"-`.` REQUEST FOR CHANGE . HEl~H~ICAo:.wAU IN SOCIAL SECURITY RECORDS [~SECUIIrY ACCOUNT NUMUR D,.4 l.,l-.T4.... 0. R..~ I..4.~, EIt$..~ 1.. F.,... P14.1 I. S~b I,.~ Pyp....IT.,. ~ - DC) .101 IF REQUESTING NAME CHANGE (FitsS ~ (Mild!, Nrn.., I.,ii~i-,f .,.,~ -) (L.~a N~...) Pti*l NEW NAME HT1E EXACTlY w.i'~ is ~"ow~oo~ AS (F N..) (Mdli N .~I i-JIM! -) (L~ N..) (M U) (D') (Y EOUEU PORT (If 1ff f I 3) (City) (Cu..!y) (2S~i~]~~ MAtE ?EUALE ~jj~ThE1S PULl. NAME AT HER 111TH (h.P ,..id,,. ..t..) fATHERS PHI.) NAME (Rq~tdi:T1 If &..I,.lb.. hi:.~ .? d...l) DO" ~ 0.- ~ ~1 WTIEREANOSHEEN(S,,u) (I'll?) ~~jESEME (N.s14.t ~.d Sss,1. Apt. N... P.O. BIT. ~` ~ RIMs) (ZIP CODE) (~T~ DATE TELEPHONE NO. ~:,[~T Y05R SAM! HERE (D~ KtS Ptt*I) ft... 06)5-7003 (2-69) . ~ X~'f1R~ ,pplit.l... E HMN..E SOCIAl. SECURITY ADMINISTEATIOIT OFFICE 7. On which part of the form should you write where you were born? (A) 3 (B) 4 (C) 5 (D) 6 Question 10 refers to the following bus schedule. MIDDLETOWN TO SPRINGDALE Leave Middletown Arrive Springdale 6:15 a.m. 7:30 a.m. 8:10 a.m. 9:05 a.m. 11:35 a.m. 1:20 p.m. 3:15 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:10 a.m. 8:45 a.m. 9:25 a.m. 10:15 a.m. 12:40 p.m. 2:35 p.m. 4:20 p.m. 6:05 p.m. 7:45 p.m. PAGENO="0131" 127 10. The bus that leaves Middletown at 11:35 a.m. arrives in Springdale at (A) 12:40 p.m. (B) 2:35 p.m. (C) 4:20 p.m. (D) 6:05 p.m. Writing Skills Directions for Questions 5-8: In each of the following sentences, find the error in punctuation or capitalization. No sentence has more than one error. 7. When he thought I wasn't looking, my playful, brother would take a bite A BC of my chocolate cake. D Directions for Questions 17-18: Choose the best answer to each question. 17. My music teacher thinks that Marian Anderson sings any other contralto he has ever heard. (A) more well than (B) better than (C) the most good of (D) more better over Mathema tics 77~~O 7. The reading shown on the scale above is (A) 6.8 (B) 7.1 (C) 7.2* (D) 8.2 PAGENO="0132" 128 18. Mrs. Wong has to be at work at 8:45. If she allows 1 hour and 20 minutes to get there, what is the latest she can leave home? (A) A quarter to 8 (B) 5 after 8 (C) Half 2rpast 7 (D) 25 after 7 PAGENO="0133" SETTING ~UCATIQNAL STANDARDS: STATE ACTIVITIES~ .... ....~ .......~ ..~...... ........ ......~ . STATE BOARD STATE DEPT. STATE LEGISLATION `0 `0 5) `a) 5) 5) 5) a) o a) a 0. Ci 5) o 5 ~-i a) a) 5) 0. 5) ~ OF EDUCATION as a) a) H ) `0 ,a) a) a). 5) C-a 0. a) a) ~-. o 0 `a) H H ~ a) a) a) C) ci as -~ -.~ OF EDUCATION ~s a) a) H 5) `0 ~ a) 5 a) C-) 0. 0 a) a) a~ 0 0 `0 H H a) a) a) a) c~ C) H"-. S 5~ H OHH a)Hsj 5),54a)~ HCI50~) ~ `a-(Cia)a) -1--Scia) 050a) C-sa)a)--) 5 H H H .a) Cl) u H B 5) `0 a) U 5. H H a ,±4 Ca 5) 4-a --S PROVISIONS ~ a). 0 H a) a) 00 0 ow a) a~ ~ as uC) 5.0 CI)~ Cal-SC-a `-l 0-)H 00 a)a) 5O~' ,0a)o' H5) a)5)a) . ~ , Ha) 50 ~o 5)55 a Ha) HQ) 0,5 a)s a) o H a) 0 a) a)a) 05) a)E 0.5) ~ OH `00 Ce' C-aS) 4Ja) 00 OH ~ 5-H H5' a)0 a)a) a) H H *~ .0 5) a) c a) 0 U U * * * Alabama X 5)) X X a) X 0)Q~ 5s.a) 0~a5 CaSes .5) x x x Alaska X X Arizona x X ~- - - x - x x x Arkansas X * X X X * California x X X X x x x Ox ~I x x 5k'repared by Education Jolicy Research £nstitute of the Educational Testing Service witti, partial support from the Ford Foundation, July 1977 PAGENO="0134" SETTING ~UCATIONAL STANDARDS: STATE ACTIVITIES~ STATE LEGISLATION STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION STATE DEPT. OF EDUCATION. PROVISIONS . . ~ `B `B 5 `0 B B B B 0 B 5 0~ c~) B 0 B t4~i B B B 0 55 B B `-1 B `0 ,)4 B B B )-l P-i B B )s 0 0 `B H H B B B B ci ci Cl) H )) S H4-i UI QUI H UIHH UI) H 00 0 HUI BO H OHS H. 0)) 5) 5) 50 0)) UI0 .0 U).UI0~U a) H ISP US P ~U) UIP 00 5 Ha/SO)) H 14 a))) a) `a) U/SE Pa)) OH UI u ~) P c/a anSi UI4-lUI a UI a 0 HUIUIUI a) H LSHH H5 U)H ~`~4 0 `SiHus) US 5) 00 4-10 *~4)) -00 H~ 0 OSOUI a) H 5)0 14UIO Pa)) U)0 510 a) 51(50-) a) H H)) UI)))) 05 51)) aSSa a) P45))14)-S < ~-) 0P4 OSOBS P-a(5 (S~ C/SPa s) Illinois (continued) * X (placed on the interim study calendar) . X X X ~ Indiana ~ *X (to conduct study in corn- patency re- quirements for secondary schools) . . ~ . . Iowa X (2 pieces) X X X . kansas ~ Kentucky X (2 pieces) , X X X . X X X ~Prepared by Education Policy Research £nstitute of the Educational Testing Service with, partial support from the Ford Foundation, July 1977 PAGENO="0137" SETTING EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS: STATE ACTIVITIES~ . STATE LEGISLATION STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION STATE DEPT. OF EDUCATION , PROVISIONS . . . ~ ~ ~- ~ 4) a) a) 5 4) a) 0 ii 4 o~ C 4) 0 4) 4-4 C a) a) 54 4)) 0 sa ~ a) .a) a) C .a) a) a) a) ~-i ~ a) a) ~ 0 0 `a) a) a) a) a) a) a) C C 4)4 <4 <4 - sa c a) .a) a) ~ .a) a) a) a). E P-i a) a) ~ 0 0 `a) a) a) a) a) 4~) a) C C (1) <4 ,4) a) a) a) ~ C 0 *a)*~-~ ~- a) . a .a) -.-~ a) .a) ~ a) .~4 a ?~I 4-i 4~) . 0 4-) C~-~H va ~ 00 a) ~-1a) aac *~ a)*a)a) ~-4 oa) a) ai ac oa )Ja) n a).a)a)~ C -a) 0E 0 a) ~a) CC 00 C `a)ccOu a) ~4 Ca) 4 .4) i4~j Pia) Qa) a) 4) ~-45 a) ii~ C/4li 4)4-iC (a C (~ a) a) C a) C a) a) (.4 a) a) ~H 44 a) a) ~a) 0 4ia)Ca) `a) a) ((a) 4Ja) a)a) C0 H~' 0 Oa)a)4J a) 4-i sam ,CCO' 0~a) cam CO u Ccaa)a) C a) *a)a) a)a)a) On Ca) 44) C i~4)~~) <1 ~-a (CpF Louisiana . . . . x coē)(4 P-i<4 (Se) (054 <4 X X X x x x x (on ainima:1, corn- pg~ency lame . X X X X x x x aryland X X X x X x x x x x x ~~Frepared by Education Policy Research institute oF the Educational Testing Service with partial support From the Ford Foundation, July 1977 PAGENO="0138" SETTING ~UCATIONAL STANOAP~S: STATE ACTIVITIES~ STATE LEGISLATION STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION STATE DEPT. OF EDUCATION PROVISIONS . ~ ~ 0 cc 0 5) so si a o a ~ a ci a) o a s-c a 55 5) a. so a 4.5 ~ 0 H ac ,a4 c a) 5) H a. 0 0 5>-> 0 0 0 H H a a a a ci ci so >4 4.0 c 0 H 0 ~o .sO 0 0 5) H a. c c 5>> 0 0 0 -4 H a a -a a ci ci crc 4>4 0 H a 0 ?4~. H 0) H a a H ~. 4.4 5> H >s) 5) H a 4.) . o a H OHH so H 00 c HO cc H cac H 05) 5) 5) 50 05) 4-0 cc 5)4~5>~ ci *~ cia cc a ~w aEs ao cc H)f)OU -) 54 ciO) 5 .~ )54E a.a) QH a ci Ha)~ Cl) c/0)-c >4-cl-c U) -c >~ c Hcic-)l-c 5) H C.SH->-4 HU) 5)~4 5>>H a c-c-uS cc 5) 00 4-40 HO 550 H5> 0 ocaca a >~-> eso cc-cc o>so so 540 ci c-ceo-c ci *~c --ca ass as -cS) ac-c ci a.P4)cc>J >4 >5 ~E4 coocc4 P>4 0s4 ocoa. <~ Minnesota X X X x. (2 pieces) x x x `X (Local objectives, standards, X and evaluation) Mississippi S X x x x x x x x x Missouri X X X Montana (No statewide m nimal competency activity reported) >4Preparcd by Education Policy Research Instltute of the Educational Testing Service with> partial support from the Ford Foundation, July 19/. PAGENO="0139" SETTING EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS: STATE ACTIVITIES~ :* STATE LEGISLATION STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION STATE DEPT. OF EDUCATION PROVISIONS . ~ * - `0 `0 Ci `0 Cl 5 Cl U o U CC ~ C) C) o 0 c~c 4- 0 C) P-c CU 0 b5 0 0 H 0 `0 0 cO a) H P-c CO 0 ~, 0 0 `Ca H H 0 4- U C) (I C/) ~ 0 0 `Ca H H 0 U .4-i U c) C) co a 0 0 H 4- 0 ~ H C~ H U 0) H - U H ~ 0 a) HU U OU H UHH (1) H 00 0 HU 50 H 0-CO H 00 C) C) cOO 00 4-0 0 w.C40~, ci H .00 `0 0 C-cE 00 0 HUOc) H .0 ciC) 0.0) 000 a-ca) OH U ci H5 5 Cl) 0114- -cOcci ~ 4- a 0 H(JUC-C C) H OHH Ha C)'~4 ~ 0 4-cHciaJ `0 Cl ,CO~ U0 Ha) `00 H~ 0 O(CCOU a cci bOo' ,04-~' o~s So' 4-0 ci 4-cOO-C ci H Ha) Ua)a) Os ciw 04- ci Nebraska -~ -~ X 04bOCcic-) Ca ~ObO CoOa~ P-co ()~4 C-cIa)) <~ X X Nevada . : X (on statewide minimal compe- tency requir-. ments) X x *.___ .._ -. -~ x x x x x (2 pieces) x x x x . x New Hampshire . X (7 pieces -- some sent for further House study) - X X . l~reparcd by Education Policy Research Institute of the Educational Testing Service wittapartial support from the- Ford Foundation, July197/ PAGENO="0140" SETTING EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS: STATE ACTIVITIES* * STATE LEGISLATION S OF TATE BOARD EDUCATION * STATE DEPT. OF EDUCATION PROVISIONS . `0 0) `0 0) 0) 0 4.1 Si U 0 CO. I_i 00 5, 0 `0 0) 4_i 0 0) 4_i 0) ~ 00 c 0 0) `0 .04 0 0 0) 0-4 Si 0 0 01~ 0 0 `0 ~-4 . 00 4.1 4_i 4_i U U C~ -0 `0 . 00 c 0 0) `0 .04 0 0 0) E-4 P_i 0 00 ~ 0 0 `0 ` ~-4 0 4_i .4-1 4_i U .U `0 0 *~-.. a ~, ~ -~-~ C'~4c0 0).040~ .~.))/)Q)) U ~4o0 HU4-4l-i 4-I-lUG.) 00)04.1 0000' Pi001i-) a ~-4 ~-4 *~ ,~ U) U (0 0) `0 5) U ~0 5) ~-4 ,-4 *~4 .04 Cl) (4) 4_i `-4 ~O 0_i 0 £~l 4-i 00 00) .00 (.00) COOl_i *~ .00 000' *~l0) 510 4.) 0 0) 0) `0 0 (0.0) 4.14-Il_i 0~4*-4 4-10 .01-10' 00)0) 1000 ~. . `-lj_i 00 ~0) 0100 0) -lu) ~-l0) (C,50 005) ra'0 C (~ " 4_i 0 4_i 00 00.) 4.10 P_iQ) I_i 0)'~4 `00 cOo' 1-10) 00 i.10 00 O~ a 01~4 ~-l~ 00 0)1-1 )~0P_i 0 ~?4 -i ~-4 .0 CO 4_i 00 0 0 U U -0 * Hampshire (Con't) X X * X Jersey X X X NewMexico X X X X - York * .X X X X North Carolina . X (2 pieces) x x x x x Nortlh Dakota X X X x x x x Ohic~ . X x X x X X x X .-~ - - - WFreparect by )«=clucation i'olicy Research Institute of the Educational Testing Service with.partial support from the Ford Foundation, July 1971 PAGENO="0141" SETTING EDUCATIONAL STARDARDS; STATE ACTIVITIES* STATE LEGISLATION STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION STATE DEPT.' OF EDUCATION PROVISIONS . . * ` `0 C) 5 0 0. 0 14 -~ `0 0) 4-1 14 C) 0) (I) `0 C) 4~i CCC 0) 4-i 0) n 4-0 0) 0) *~l CU `0 ,04 0) CU 0) E-~ P-i 0) 0) P-i 0 0 `0) ~-4'd 0) 4-4 4.1 44 14 14 ~ `N~ 00 0) 0) ~-4 0) `0) .na o C)' 0) 1-i P-i 0) 0) Pi 0 0 `0) `d -i4 0) 44 -4-1 44 (4 (4 ~ ~ 0~ 0) ,-~ ,-V'--. ~-4 Cs *?4 ~,-j ,C4 on u~-i--i on ,-i 0~-4c1 ~-l CU,N0)E~ U `, i-10000) ~4 ~ 0 `do) 5 on `-404-414 0) 44-dUW `0 0) 00)04-4 0 )4-i 44440)*~4 44 ~4 P-i004441.1 14 (~ ?-44-4 o'0) oW ,0)C) 140) on~ *,4 .0)0) 4-0O~ `iiW 4-1 o 0) ai `CU N 1.0) 1.44-114 (P'd.d ~0) .0)14O' 4.40)0) ~. * ~ 00 ~W 0011 5 ,-iuC -40) 0.5 0)5 0) 0 14 44 01-I an 00) 140 P0) 14 0)4 `00) N~' I-iC) 440) 0)0 O~4 5 P-~d HP- 140 114 44 ~-4 -4 - .o s 4.4 0) 0) 0 C) U . - Oklahoma ` X ~) X X 00c4 COQP-) P-i< X (DON Cop .~ regon X * ` X X X * ennsylvania ` ` ~ X ` ` ` ```""X' X X ` x x , x , - - x x x x xx x x x, * - hode Island X X X X ;outh Carolina X X X South Dakota (No statewide on nimal competency activity reported) * ennessee X X X , . *Prepared by Education ~oLicy Iiesearch Institute o~ the Educational Testing Servlce with, partial support from the Ford Ioundation, July 1977 PAGENO="0142" SETTING EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS: STATE ACTIVITTES* STATE LEGISLATION STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION:* STATE DEPT. OF EDUCATION: PROVISIONS . . `0 `C 5) `C 5) C 5) C O 4~1 C P. U C O C 4-4 It C C 5)) ~ bS C C ` C `C .s4 C C C E-t Pt C C ~ 0 0 `C H ~ C C C U U U) ~ .n~ OS C C .~4 C `C .~4 C C C Et Pt C C ~. 0 0 `C H H C. CC C U ,U Co ~ ~ cri C C H nt 0 -1-- H 0 .-4 C 5 .~4 C ~-,~-4 .54 5 ~-44J C . 041 -4 O,-4H t/S H 00 C HU CC C-~4c5 H OW C C CC OW. 4.10 ,0 C.S5C~.- U H .00 `C S ~C ItS CO C ~-(5O0ci H .54 UC C.C 1t55 PnC OH C U `-IC S U) COlt l.t~I-4lt C It U) C `HUCIt 5) . OHt-I Ho) C~-4 ~H C 4-4HUC `C C ,CC CC HO) `CD H~ 0 OsOC C 4-4 000' .01.40' C_S C0' ItO U EtCCH U H -IC CCC COO I-tC CIt U H ~ OSOS Pt-C 0P~ UciPt H Texas ~ X . X X x . x x Utah X. * X Vermont X * X X X irginia X X X X Jasliington X . ~ (Coapetencies set by X local districts and communities)_- x x x Yest Virginia No statewide inimal competenc requirements bu state assistance in the identification of "essential competencies' Wisconsin X X X X Wyoming No statewid minimal compete cy activity repo ted *prepared by Education Policy Researcti institute of the Educational Testing Service with,partial support from the Ford Foundation, July 191/ PAGENO="0143" 139 CHARACTERISTICS OF EIGHT COMMONLY USED, NATIONALLY NORMED TESTS ESEA TITLE 1 EVALUATION & REPORTING SYSTEM PAGENO="0144" 140 CHARACTERISTICS OF EIGHT COMMONLY USED, NATiONALLY NORMED TESTS ESEA Title I Evaluation and Reporting System Technical Paper No. 5 G. Kasten Talimadge Christine T. Wood October 1976 PAGENO="0145" 141 The research reported herein was performed pur- suant to a contract with the Office of Education,' U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare. Contractors undertaking such projects under Gov-~ ernment sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their professional judgment in the conduct of the project. Points of view or opinions stated do not, therefore, necessarily represent official Office of Education position or policy. RMC Research Corporation fountain View, California 95-038 0 - 77 - 10 PAGENO="0146" 142 This pamphlet briefly summarizes some of the features of each of the standardized achievement tests included in the Anchor Test Study (Loret, Seder, Bianchini, & Vale, 1972) as well as edi- tions of the same tests that have been published since the study0 The tests reviewed are the Cal- ifornia Achievement Test (1970), Comprehensive Tests of Ba~sic Skills (1968 & 1973), Gates- MacGinitie Reading Tests (1964), Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (1971), Metropolitan Achievement Tests (1970), Sequential Test of Educational Progress (1969), SRA Achievement Series (1971), and Stanford Achievement Tests (1973). The levels and forms of each test are listed along with the grade and month of the normative data points suitable for use in norm-referenced testing. The names given by the various publish- ers to each test's standard scores (the scores that should be used for any aritI~netic computa- tions) are indicated~ Those score scales which span all the test levels, thus permitting out- of-level testing are noted. The score-conversion tables needed to 1i~iplement the Title I evaluation models are also specified. . Finally, the conditions under which norm- referenced testing can be done are. described, along with procedures for utilizing the Anchor Test Study conversion tables. . PAGENO="0147" 143 CALIFORNIA ACHIEVEMENT TEST C fl, 1970 Test Levels Norms (Gra~iMōnth) Forms 1 1.7, 2.4, 2~7 A & B 2 2.7, 3.4, 3.7, 4.4, 4.7 A & B 3 4.7, 5.4, 5.7, 6.4, 6.7 A & B 4 6.7, 7.4, 7.7, 8.4, 8.7, 9.4, 9.7 A & B 5 9.7, 10.4,10.7, 11.4,11.7, 12.4,12.7 A & B Norms Acceptable for Norm-Referenced Evaluation Normative data ~re collected in February, March, and April, with the majority of testing done in flarch. The end-of--grade and middle-of--- grade norms are projections, but because of their proximity to the normative data point, they are probably adequate for use with April-to-April and January-to-January norm-referenced evaluations. The beginning-of-grade norms should not be used in norm-referenced evaluation. Standard Score Scale The Achievement Development Scale Scores (ADSS) constitute an expanded standard score scale that links all levels of the test and makes it possible to do out-of-level testing. Tables Needed Raw Score to ADSS Raw Score to Percentile/Stanjne Conditions for Norm-Referenced Testing The reading subtests of Levels 3 (grades 4 and 5) and 4 (grade 6) here included in the Anchor Test Study. The CAT may thus be used for norm- r~ferenced evaluations under the following condi- tions: PAGENO="0148" 144 1. pret~st and posctest 111 t4)LiJ. ~ interval) using CAT end-of-grade norms; 2. pretest and posttest in January (12-month interval) using CAT middle-of-grade norms; 3. pretest and posttest in April (12-month interval) using Anchor Test Study Individual Score Norms for reading only, and grades 4, 5, and 6 only; 4. pretest in October, posttest in April using Anchor Test Study Equivalency Tables and Met- ropolitan Achievement Test norms for reading only, and grades 4, 5, and 6 only. Using Anchor Test Study Data The following procedure is recommended for use with Anchor Test Study data. First, convert each pupil's CAT raw score to the equivalent Metropol- itan Achievement Test (MAT) raw score. Second, convert each MAT raw score to its corresponding standard score. Third, calculate all statistics using MAT standard scores. Then, if Anchor Test Study norms are to be used, convert the mean MAT standard score to its MAT raw score equivalent. The corresponding percentile can then be read from the Individual Score Norms Tables (not the School Means Norms Tables). If the MAT norms are to be used, percentile equivalents are provided corre- sponding to mean standard scores. * PAGENO="0149" 145 COMPREHENSIVE TESTS OF BASIC SKILLS (CTBS),1968 Test Levels Norms (Grade/Month) Forms 1 2.4, 2.7, 3.4, 3.7, 4.4, 4.7 Q & R 2 4.7, 5.4, 5.7, 6.4, 6.7 Q & R 3 6.7, 7.4, 7.7, 8.4, 8.7 Q & R 4 8.7, 9.4, 9.7, 10.4, 10.7 Q & R Norms Acceptable for Norm-Referenced Evaluation Normative data ~re collected the laat ~ek in February and the first ~ek in March. The end-of-grade and middle-of-grade norms are pro- jections, but because of their proximity to the normative data point, they are probably ade- quate for use with April-to-April and January- to-January norm-referenced evaluations. The beginning-of-grade norms should not be used in norm-referenced evaluation. Standard Score Scale Expanded Standard Scores constitute an ex- panded standard score scale that links all levels of the test and makes it possible to do out-of-level testing. Tables Needed Raw Score to Expanded Standard Score Raw Score to Percentile/Stanine Conditions for Norm-Referenced Testing The reading subtests of Level 2, Form Q (grades 4 and 5) and Level 3, Form Q (grade 6) here in- luded in the' Anchor Test Study. The CTBS may thus be used for~norm-referenced evaluations under the following co~1itions: PAGENO="0150" 146 1. pretest and posttest in April (12-month inter- val) using CTBS end-of-grade norms; 2. pretest and posttest in January (12-month in- terval) using CTBS middle-of-grade norms; 3. pretest and posttest in April (12-month inter- val) using Anchor Test Study Individual Score Norms for reading only, and grades 4, 5, and 6 only; 4. pretest in October, posttest in April using Anchor Test Study Equivalency Tables and Met- ropolitan Achievement Test norms for reading only, and grades~ 4, 5, and 6 only Using Anchor Test Study Data Procedures recommended for using Anchor Test Study Equivalency Tables and norms with the Cali- fornia Achievement Test are presented on page 3. The same procedures should be used with Form Q of the CTBS. If Form R of the CTBS is used, each raw score must be converted to its Form Q equiv- alent (using conversion, tables provided by the publisher) before the Anchor Test Study tables are used. . PAGENO="0151" 147 COMPREHENSIVE TESTS OF BASIC SKILLS (CTBS), 1973 Test Levels Norms (Grade/Month) Forms A K.1, K.7, 1.1 S B K.7, 1.1, 1.7 S C 1.7, 2.7 S 1 2.7, 3.7, 4.7 S & T 2 4~7, 5.7, 6.7 S & T 3 6~7, 7.7, 8.7 S & T 4 8.7, 9.7, 10.7, 11.7, 12.7 S & T Norms Acceptable for Norm-Referenced Evaluation The end-of--grade norms are based on normative data collected in April and thus are adequate for use with April-to-April norm-referenced evalua- tions. The beginning-of-grade norms for kinder- garten and grade 1 are based on normative data collected in October and can be used in evalua- tions at these grades. All other norms are pro- jections and should not be used. In addition, norms can also be constructed for six-week periods on either side of mid-April by linearly interpolating between t~ surrounding normative data points. Standard Score Scale Expanded Standard Scores constitute an expanded standard score scale that links all levels of the test and makes it possible to do out-of-level test- ing. Tables Needed Raw Score to Expanded Standard Score Raw Score to Percentile/Stanine Raw Score-to-NCE and Expanded-Standard-Score- to.-NCE conversion tables are available if speci- fically requested from the test publisher. PAGENO="0152" 148 Conditions for Norm-Referenced Testing The 1973 edition of the CTBS was not included in the Anchor Test Study. The CTBS (1973) may be used for norm-referenced evaluations under the following conditions: 1. pretest and posttest in April (12-month inter- val) using CTBS end-of-grade norms; 2. pretest and posttest in October (12-month interval) using CTBS beginning_of-grade norms for kindergarten and grade 1 only; 3. pretest in October and posttest in April using CTBS norms for kindergarten and grade 1 only; 4. if testing cannot be done in April, pretest and post test within the six-week periods on either side of mid-April (12-month interval) interpolating between the norms given in the test publisher's manual. PAGENO="0153" 149 GATES-MACGINITIE READING TESTS, 1964 Test Levels Norms (Grade/Month) Forms Primary A 1.5, 1.8 111,211 1,2 B 2.1, 2.8 1F1,2M 1,2 C 3.L, 3.8 111,211 1,2 CS 2.8. 3.1, 3.8 111,211,311 1,2,3 Survey D 4.1, 4.8, 5.1 1M,21*1,311 5.8, 6.1, 6.8 Survey E 7.1, 7.8, 8.1 111,211,311 8.8, 9.1, 9.8 Norms Acceptable for Norm-Referenced Evaluation Normative data were collected in January for grade 1, in October for grades 2-9, and in April for grades 1-9. The February and flay norms are projections, but because of their proximity to the January and April testing dates, the February (grade 1 only) and May norms are probably adequate. Thus, the October, February (grade 1 only), and May norms tables can be used for norm-referenced evaluations. In addition, norms can be constructed for the six weeks on either side of the mid-October data point and for the six weeks prior to the mid-Flay data point by linearly interpolating between two surrounding normative data points. Standard Score Scale The standard scores provided for the Gates-lIac- Ginitie are not expanded standard scores. It is thus not possible to relate scores from one level of the test to norms for another level, so using test levels with appropriate norms may produce floor effects with disadvantaged students Tables Needed Raw Score to Standard Score Standard Score to Percentile. PAGENO="0154" 150 Conditions for Norm-Referenced Testing Survey D, Form 111 was included in the Anchor Test Study. The Gates-MacGinitie may thus be used for norm-referenced evaluations under the follow- ing conditions: 1 pretest in October, posttest in May using Gates-MacGinitie norms (but with the possibil- ity that floor effects may be encountered); 2. pretest and posttest in October or pretest and posttest in May (at 12-month intervals) using the Gates-MacGinitie norms; 3. pretest and posttest in April (12-month inter- val) using Anchor Test Study Individual Score Norms in grades 4, 5, and 6 only; 4. pretest in October and posttest in April using Anchor Test Study Equivalency Tables and Metro- politan Achievement Test norms in grades 4, 59 and 6 only; 5. if testing cannot be done in October or May, pretest and posttest within six weeks either side of mid-October and/or six weeks prior to mid-May, interpolating between the norms given in the test pubisher's manual. If pretesting is done far enough from a normative data point to require interpolation, the posttesting should deviate from its corresponding norma- tive data point in the same direction and by approximately the same amount. Using Anchor Test Study Data Procedures recommended for using Anchor Test Study Equivalency Tables and norms with the Cali- fornia Achievement Test are presented on page 3. The same procedures should be used with Form 111 of the Gates-MacGinitie. The implication of using other forms is not clear, as score equivalency tables are not provided by the publishers, despite the probable existence of between-form differences. PAGENO="0155" 1 I IOWA TESTS OF BASIC SKILLS (ITBS), 1971 f~orms Test Levels (Grac~/Month) Forms 7 2.2 5&6 8 3.2 5&6 9 3.2 5&6 10 4.2 5&6 11 5.2 5&6 12 6.2 5&6 13 7.2 5 &6 14 8.2 5&6 Norms Acceptable for Norm-Referenced Evaluation Normative data were collected the last half of October and first half of November. The be-' ginning-of-'year norms can be used for norm-- referenced evaluation. However, the middle-' and~ end-of--year norms are projections and should not be used. In addition, norms can be constructed for six-week periods on either side of the mid- point of the testing interval (November 1) by linearly interpolating between t~o surrounding normative data points. Standard Score Scale Standard Scores constitute an expanded stan-' *dard score scale that links all levels of the test and makes it possible to do out-of-level testing. Tables Needed Raw Score to Standard Score. Percentile Ranks to Standard Score These tables must be specifically requested from the test publisher, and are contained in a booklet entitled ~ge-Eguivalent/Standard Score Tables. PAGENO="0156" 152 Conditions for Norm-Referenced Testing The reading subtests of Levels 10 (grade 4), 11 (grade 5), and 12 (grade 6), Form 5, were in- cluded in the Anchor Test Study. The ITBS may thus be used' for norm-referenced evaluation under the following conditions: 1. pretest and posttest in late October-early November (12-month interval) using ITBS norms; 2. pretest and posttest in April.(12-month inter- val) using Anthor Test Study Individual Score Norms for reading only, and grades 4, 5, and 6 only; 3. pretest *in October and posttest in April using Anchor Test Study Equivalency Tables and Fletro- politan Achievement Test norms for reading only, and grades 4, 5, and 6 only; 4. if testing cannot be done between mid-October and mid-November, then pre- and posttest within six weeks on either side of November 1 (12- month interval) interpolating between the norms given in the test publisher's manual. Pretesting and posttesting times should deviate from November 1 in the same direction and by approximately the same amount. Using Anchor Test Study Data Procedures recommended for using Anchor Test Study Equivalency Tables and norms with the Cali- fornia Achievement Test are presented on page 3. The same procedures should be used with Form 5 of the ITBS. The implications of using other forms is not clear as score equivalency tables are not provided, despite the fact that some between-form differences are present. PAGENO="0157" 153 METROPOLITAN ACHIEVEMENT TESTS (MAT), 1970 Test Levels Norms (Grade/Month) Forms Primer K.7, 1.4 F, G, H Primary I 1.7, 2.1 F, C, H Primary II 2.7, 3.1 F, G, H Elementary 3.7, 4.1, 4.7 F, G, H Intermediate 5.1, 5.7, 6.1, 6.7 F, G, H Advanced 7.1~, 7.7, 8.1, 8.7, 9.1 F, G, H Norms Acceptable for Norm-Referenced Evaluation Normative data ~re collected in October from grades 2-9, in April from grades K-8, and in Jan- .uary from grade 1. The beginning- and end-of- grade norms can be used in norm-referenced evalua- tion. The middle-of-grade norms can be used with grade I only. In addition, norms can be con- structed for the six-~ek period on either side of mid-October and mid-April by linearly inter- polating between two surrounding normative.data points. Standard Score Scale Standard Scores constitute an expanded stan- dard score scale that links all levels of the test and makes it possible~to do out-of-level testing. Tables Needed Raw Score to Standard Score Standard Score to Percentile Conditions for Norm-Referenced Testing The reading subtests of Form F of the Elemen- tary (grade 4) and Intermediate (grades 5 and 6) Levels were included in the Anchor Test Study. The MAT may thus be used for norm-referenced evaluation under the following conditions: PAGENO="0158" 154 1. test in October and/or April (fall-to-spring or 12-month interval) using MAT norms; .2. pretest and posttest in April (12-month inter- val) using Anchor Test Study Individual Score Norms for reading only, and grades 4, 5, and 6 only; 3. if testing cannot be done in October or April, pretest and posttest within six weeks on either side of mid-October and/or mid-April, inter- polating between the norms given in the test publisher's manual. . If pretesting is done far enough from a normative data point to require interpolation, the posttesting should deviate from its corresponding normative data point in the same direction and by approximately the same amount. Using Anchor Test Study Data If Anchor Test Study norms are to be used, con- vert the mean MAT standard score to its raw score equivalent. The corresponding percentile can then be read from the Individual Score Norms Table (not the School Ileans Norms Tables). If the MAT norms are to be used, percentile equivalents are pro- vided corresponding to mean standard scores. . PAGENO="0159" 155 SEQUENTIAL TEST OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS II (STEP Ii), 1969 Test Levels Norms (Grade/Month) Forms 4 3.7, 4.7, 5.7 A & B 3 6.7, 7.7, 8.7 A & B 2 9.7, 10.7, 11.7, 12.7 A & B 1 12.7 A&B Norms Acceptable for Norm-Referenced Evaluation Normative data were collected between April 20 and Nay 8. The spring norms can be used in norm-referenced evaluation. The fall norms are identical to the spring norms for the previous grade and should not be used. In addition, norms can be constructed for the six-week' period on either side of the midpoint of the testing interval (April 30) by linearly interpolating between t~ surrounding. normative data points. Standard Score Scale. Converted Scores constitute an expanded stan- dard score scale that links all levels of the test and makes it possible to do out-of-level testing. Tables Needed Raw Score to Converted Score and Percentile Rank Conditions for Norm-Referenced Testing The reading subtests of Level 4, Form A, were included in the Anchor Test Study. STEP II may thus be used for norm-referenced evaluations under the following conditions: PAGENO="0160" 156 1. pretest and posttest in late April or early May (12-month interval) using STEP II norms; 2. pretest and posttest in April (12-month inter- val) using Anchor Test Study Individual Score Norms for reading only, and grades 4, 5, and 6 only; 3. pretest in October, posttest in April using Anchor Test Study Equivalency Tables and Met- ropolitan Achievement Test norms for reading only, and grades 4, 5, and 6 only; 4. if testing cannot be done in late April or early May, pretest and posttest within six weeks on either side of April 30 (12-month interval), interpolating between the norms given in the test publisher's manual. Pre- and posttesting times should deviate from the normative data point in the same direc- tion and by approximately the same amount. Using Anchor Test Study bata Procedures recommended for using Anchor Test Study Equivalency Tables and norms with the Cali- fornia Achievement Test are presented onpage 3. The same procedures should be used with Form A of STEP II. If Form B is used, each raw score must be converted to its Form A equivalent (using conversion tables provided by the publisher) be- fore the Anchor Test Study Tables are used. PAGENO="0161" 157. SRA ACHiEVEMENT SERIES, 1971 Test Levels Norms (Grade/Month) Forms Primary I 1.7, 2.7 E & F Primary II 2.7, 3.7 E & F Blue 3.7,4.7, 5.7 E & F Green 5.7, 6.7, 7.7 E & F. Red 7.7, 8.7, 9.7 E & F Norms Acceptable for Norm-Referenced Evaluation Normative data were collected between April 5 and April 25. The second-semester norms can be used for norm-referenced evaluation. The first-semester norms are projections and should not be used. - In addition, norms may be constructed for the six-week period on either side of mid-April by linearly interpolating between two surrounding normative data points. Standard Score Scale Growth-scale values constitute an expanded standard score scale that links all levels of the test and makes it possible to do out-of-level testing. Tables Needed Raw Score to Growth-Scale Value Growth-Scale Value to Percentile Conditions for Norm-Referenced Testing The reading subtests of Form Eof the Blue level (grades 4 and 5) and the Green level (grade 6) were included in the Anchor Test Study. The SRA Achievement Tests may thus be used for norm- referenced evaluations under the.following condi- tions: 95-038 0 - 77 - 11 PAGENO="0162" 158 1. pretest and posttest in April (12-month inter- val) using SRA Achievement norms; 2. pretest and posttest inApril (12-month inter-~ val) using Anchor Test Study Individual Score Norms for reading only, grades 4, 5, and 6 only; 3. pretest in October and posttest~'in April using Anchor Test Study Equivalency Tables and Met- ropolitan Achievement Test norms for reading only, and grades 4, 5, and 6 only; 4. if testing cannot be done in April, pretest and posttest within six weeks on ejther side of April 15 (12-month interval), interpolating between the norms given in the test publisher's manual. Pre- and posttesting times should de- viate from the normative data point in the same direction and by approximately the same~ amount. Using Anchor Test Study Data Procedures recommended for using Anchor Test Study Equivalency Tables an4 norms with the Cali- fornia Achievement Test are presented on page 3. The same procedures should be used with Form E . of the SRA Achievement Tests. If form F is used, each raw score must be converted to its Form E equivalent (using conversion tables provided by. the publisher) before the Anchor Test Study Tables are used. PAGENO="0163" 159 STANFORD ACHIEVEMENT TESTS (EAT), 1973 Test Levels Nocm~ (Grade/Month) Forms Primary I 1.5, 1.8, 2.1 A, B, C Primary II 2.5, 2.8, 3.1 A, B, C Primary III 3.8, 4.1 A, B, C Intermediate I 4.8, 5.1 A, B, C Intermediate II 5.8, 6.1, 6.8 A, B, C Advanced 7.1, 7.8, 8.1, 8.8, 9.1 A, B, C Norms Acceptable for Norm-Referenced Evaluation Normative data were collected in October for grades 2-9, in May for grades 1-8, and in Febru- ary for grades 1 and 2. The end-of-year norms can be used for norm-referenced evaluation in grades 1 through 8. The middle-of-year norms for grades 1 and 2 and the beginning-of-year no~ms for grades 2 through 9 can also be used. Norms tables that are labeled Extended Percentile Ranks are projections and should not be used. In addition, norms can be constructed for the six-week periods on either side of mid-October (grades 2-9), mid-February (grade 2), and mid- May (grades 1-8) by linearly interpolating be-' tween two surrounding normative data points. Standard Score Scale Scaled Scores constitute an expanded standard score scale that links all levels oU the test and makes it possible to do out-of-level testing. Tables Needed Stanines & Selected Percentile Ranks corresponding to Raw Scores Scaled Scores corresponding to Raw Scores PAGENO="0164" 160 Conditions for Norm-Referenced Testing An earlier edition of the Stanford Achievement Tests (1964) ~s included in the Anchor Test Study. The new edition, however, has many advan- tages over the old and should be preferred- despite the fact that it cannot be used in con- junction with the Anchor Test Study Equivalency Tables. The SAT may be used for norm-referenced evaluation under the following conditions: 1. test in October and/or May (fall-to-spring or 12-month interval) in grades 3 to 8 using SAT norms; 2. test in February and/or May (winter-to-spring or 12-month interval) in grade 1; 3. test in October and/or February and/or May in grade 2; 4. if testing cannot be done in October, February, or May, pretest and posttest within six weeks on either side of October 15 (grades 2-9), Feb- ruary 15 (grade 2), and/or May 15 (grades 1-8), interpolating bet~en the norms given in the test publisher's manual. If pretesting is done far enough from a normative data point to re- quire interpolation, the posttesting time should deviate from its corresponding normative data point in the s~e direction and by approx- imately the same amount. PAGENO="0165" 161 Copy: Mr. Powell EDUCATIONAL Ti- STING SERVICE PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 08540 FEICE OF THE PRESIDENT Augtist 9, 1977 Senator Claiborne Pe11 United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator Pell: The enclosed material is in response to your request, made at the hearing of the Subcommittee on Education, Arts, and Humanities on July 27, that I forward materials to describe and illustrate a possible national test in the basic skills. As it happens, ETS has been working during the past year with a nationwide consortium of schools to design a testing program -- the Basic Skills Assessment Program -- that could be widelyused. I. believe our best response to your invitation is to draw heavily on that work, and I am therefore enclosing sample materials from it. These materials in no way exhaust the possible approaches to the evaluation of basic skills, but they do represent a consensus of views set forth by various educators concerned with the problem. A list of the names of individuals -is provided in the Basic Skills Assessment Test Specifications. Sample items of any sort run the risk of being nonrepresentative. I should be pleased to make available for your personal inspection copies of the developed tests in the three areas of reading comprehension, writing and arithmetic. As you can well understand, placing these secure tests in a public medium such as the ~gressional Record would seriously damage their utility to educators and school systems. It was my personal pleasure to meet with you and your Committee. I found the exchange of views constructive and most cordial. Should you care to discuss these or related issues further, I would be most pleased to do so. I hope you will call upon us for any materials that might be of assistance to the Committee in these most important deliberations. Sincerely yours, -`1,,) -`~., / William W. Turnbull President Enclosures PAGENO="0166" 162 1 inga New Program... ~ SKILLS "~. ..~_J3A'1EN1 A cooperatIve effort by Educational Testing Service and a national consortium of school districts NATIONAL CONCERN WITH THE LEVEL OF BASIC SKILLS Parents, taxpayers, school board members, legislators, and others have reacted sharpty to what Is seen as evi- dence that substantial numbers ot students are deti- dent in the basic skills-reading, writing, and mathe- matics. In state atter state, and In many school dis- tricts, new performance standards tor students have been proposed. Still, the acceptable level ot performance has not been clearly detined. What is minimum proticiency? Which "tundamental skills" are essential? How skilled must students become to be prepared tor the demands of adull life? A NEW NATIONAL TESTING PROGRAM FOR GRADES 8-12 In responsetothis concern, Educational Testing Service and a national consortium of school districts have de- veloped a program for Basic Skills Assessment that will be available nationwide In September1977. Designed for use by school administrators, classroom teachers, parents, and students, the new program pro- vides an essential part of the information teachers need as they attempt to identify and help students deficient in basic skills. Although the Basic Skills Assessment tests may be used to determine whether students have acquired sufficient skills to meet graduation require- ments, their main purpose is to serve as part of an early warning system in the eighth and ninth grades. By alert- ing students and teachers to deficiencies at those lev- els, the tests will help insure that remediation efforts are undertaken soon enough to have maximum bene- ficial effects. Educators also can use the tests and re- lated services to monitor student progress through high school. DEVELOPING NORMS AND LOCAL STANDARDS The Basic Skills Assessment tests have been normed at the eighth, ninth, and twelfth-grade levels. Many dis- tricts, however, will want to interpret test results In terms of minimum standards they develop locally. ETS will offer assistance in setting local standards to those districts that desire it. SCHOOL DISTRICTS ASSIST IN FORMULATING POLICY Educators from more than 300 school districts across the nation have joined in a consortium to assist ETS in the development of the program, the design of the tests, and the planning of related services. Representa- tives of 25 of these districts formed a Steering Commit- tee to formulate policy for the program. More districts continue to join the consortium. SECURE TESTS IN READING, WRITING, AND MATHEMATICS The ETS program of Basic Skills Assessment contains tests in the three areas generally adjudged as critical: reading, writing, and mathematics. Important decisions will be based on these tests, so they must be secure in orderto insure that all students will start "even:' Proce- dures for maintaining test security are described else~ where in this brochure. In addition, new forms of the tests will be available each semester. AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE IN SEPTEMBER 1977 The ETS prvgram of Basic Skills Assessment will beavailable ing and reporting will be carried oat by ETS. Interested school for use in schools across the notion in September 1977. The officials way ose the enclosed order form or wrile directly Is tests may. be administered by local school districls at any Dr. Carol A. Dwyer, Director, Basic Shills Assessment, ETS, time daring the school year by arrangement with ETS. 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Id `iawnsuoo pais us §olaq `PulnU e PuhUmea 104 Islluelod dined `slenplnlpul ~ooqs spew eq dew 1511 Soo!s!bep CM 5) 0/ PI1IIflS 100W 5S0111 5S00143 pus ssqoeomd seinp slefiPIflIPu! 05 u~ aouaiapp ao qisod e seqew sollewa 40 eouepodw! 5111 54 esneoso ainoao ame OISUi sin * -de 1° 1)5100 5OlWeOe 01 IOllSP ie~oi 5111 §U~qs . ~ §uUles-PiepUnIs 15001 hO 0100111 pun suollnil -qInW pus `Puqlmos `Oulpeem III 111154 leql s~qnop 5u0 ON pa~ou eq p~noqs Oslo 55ifl15~4 Isloads aseqj SISel -us `splepue)S Pu!qsliqslsa ho spoqiaw OuIplePal P p 1 1 md UI siuapn~s §u!nlooul sqi 10 aioleu pus edoos eq) 40 6u~qIswos Ssle3IPu! aouaimadoe pue eisp CMO SI! a~qeiieOe SI54W IIIM 513 `SuOIlSeI 01 500 I/em IN3VJSS3SSV S11I)~S OISVO 110 suolseob aidwss 10 )SS paso~oue ~QL speau 1001130 oseoojd duIlIas-pispesls aqi u~ aoeepin 6 5elppoid * pun SuOIIso!1I3eds PG1 ISS 01 555111WW03 10 PuInJaS * VIIVUOOIJd 1VNOLLVN M3N V JN2W~~ Si1I)IS PAGENO="0168" 164 BASIC SKILLS ASSESS/'VlENI Furivlonnation, utile to Or. Carol A. Ooyer, Director, Basic Skills AssnsSvrevt, ETS, Princeton. NJ 08540. Sample Questions QuestIons 4-5: Read each question and then decide whtch of the foursuggested answers Is best. Choose the words that best complete the sentence. 4. While Iwas cooking supper, (A) and t burned myself (B) burning myself (C) getting burned myself (Dl i burned myseti (This question requires the student 80 distinguish botween complete and incomplete sentences. Only choice D goes with the tirst part to form a complete sentence. The stu- dent who is able to select a complete sentence is much more likely to be able to generate one than is a student unable to select such a sentence.) 5. Which paragraph would be most helpful in explaining how to cars bra person bitten bye dog? (A) Because the threat of rabies is ever preseni in case of as animaf bite, it Is necessary to remove the animal's saliva from the wound. Other infectious agents may be present as weti cod should not be Ignored. (B) Wash the bite with hot soapy waler. Then psi on an antiseptic like hydrogen perooide and cover Ihe bile with a bandage. Calf a doctorimmedlafely. (C) Rabies isaoirai disease potentially carded by all warm- biooded asimats.The bile of any such animal should therefore betreated with care. (Dl Cleanseand disinfect the wounded area. Obtain apprn- prlate professional care. (This question measures the student's ability to select the most useful intormation in a given situation. Alt of the responses are grammatically correct. Choices A and C are more general, providing no immediate useful information. Choice D provides more specific information, but does not answer the question of how to "cleanse and disinfect" or what "appropriate professional care" may be. Choice B, the correct response, is specific, concrete, and of immedi- ate usefuiness.) Quanflon 6: ~ Wriiing sample. Pi~:e~noi~nt~;oi.s Please apply in writing to: Morgan Davis 10 Lincoln Rd. Louisvllte, Kenlacky 40202 6. DIrectIons: Thomas Moore is 17. He lives at 69 Banberry Lane in Louisville, Kentucky 40202, Ha has worked as a counselor at Camp Pioneer for two years. He has been trained in fIrsI-ald and waler safef p. Pretond that you are Thomas Moore and write the iettor applying fur the job of counselor at Pine Grove Camp. (An appropriate response must mahe clear that the writer is appiying for the job of counselor at Pine Grove Camp. II should mention the experience and skilis described in the directions, and (I should include a complete return ad- dress. A good response should also be freeot gross errors iv mechanics or usage.) MATHEMATICS Many students reach the end of high school without becoming competent in the basic operations of arith- metic. Others know how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, but are unable to apply those operations to practical situations. The Mathematics Skills Test, therefore, contains both straightforward computalion questions and problems requiring applications of those skills to real-life situa- tions. Approcimaleiy 40 percent of the 70 questions measure lhe ability to calculate with whole numbers, cxmmon fractions, and decimais. Sixty percent of the questions measure applications of mathematical skills in such areas as comparative shop- ping, installment buying, taxation, do-it-yourself con- struction, and transportation. Sample Questions Quesfions 7.9: Read each question and then decide which of the foursuggestad answers is best, 7. ~ (A) 505 (B) 590 (C) 591 (Dl eec (The student is asked to add two whole numbers. The cor- rect answer is B. The wrong choices represent common computativnai errors such as forgetting lx "carry" or "car- rying" an incorrect number of places or not knowing basic number facls.( B. Which of the iaiiowing booes of cereal is cheapest per ~ (The student is required to compute the cost per ounce of each package and then cvmpare the cysts to select the cheapest. The correct answer is C. As is often the case in real iife, the largest boo is not necessarily the cheapest per ounce.) 9. A job pays $6.58 per hour wilh time-and-a-half for over- time. if you work 40 regular hours and 8 overtime hours at that job, how much would you earn? (A) $260 (B) $312 (C) $338 (Dl $468 (The student is required to calculate the time-and-a-hail rate ol $9.75 per hour, multiply that times 8, and add the sum to the reguigr wage, which is calculated by multiply- ing 06.50 times 40. The correct chvice is C. Nvte that the wnvng answers are based on common errors such as fvr- getting to include the overtime hours, multiplying total hours by the hourly wage, or multiplying total hvurs by Ihe overtime rate.( copyrluht ©l977beEduOati0valTO5llvO50t~i00A0~Ohb5r050!00d PAGENO="0169" 165 SKILLS SAMPLE QUESTIONS `~~~SA'1ENr A ecoperatice effort by Eduvatiovat Testing Saisleeevd tioneloonsurfiarn of school districts READING Most people believe that high school students should be able to read such functional materials as job appli- cation torms, driver's manuals, tax forms, warning no- tices, and medicine labels. There is also general agreement that high school stu- dents should be able to obtain information from news- paper articles, evaluate edilorials and advertisements, and understand fiction. The Reading Skills Test, therefore, draws stimulus ma- terials from a variety of areas relevant to the roles peo- ple play as they earn a living, purchase goods and ser- vices, continue learning, meet their obligations as citi- zens, and take care of themselves and those dependent on them. About half of the 65 questions measure the reading skill of literal comprehension, 40 percent measure the ability to draw inferences from what is read, and 10 percent measure the ability to make judgments about what is Sample Questions Questions 1-2: Each at these questions refers to the tetlow- ing part of a rneufictne tabet, Forlemporary Rettet of Mild Sore Threat Dosage: 3-6 years: 1/4 teaspoon every 6 hears 6-12 years: 1/2 teaspoon every 6 hours over 12 years: 1 teaspoon every 4 hears Warning: Severe sore throat or sore throat accampanted by tenet, headache, nausea, or vomtttng may be serious. Cansati a phystctan tmmedlately. It rash or irrttatton develops, stop ostng and consolt a phystcian. Do not use mare than days or gtue to children under 3 years at age unlass directed by a phystctan. 1. How machat the medlctne should you give to a 7-year-aid child? (A) 1/4 teaspoon every 6 hears )B) 1/2 teaspoon every 6 hears IC) 1/2 teaspoon every 4 hears ID) 1 teaspoon every 6 hours (Thecorrectanswer is B. The question requires the student to realize that a 7-year-old should be given the dosage in- dicated for children 6-12, and to comprehend the literal statement of the amxant to be given.( 2, According to the label, ft you have a sore throat, fever, and a headache, you should IA) use the medicine tarS days )B) call a doctor as soon as you can IC) Increase the amount at medicIne you take ID) use other medIcine to cure the teverand headache 3. What ts the main idea at the paragraph? IA) InflatIon leads to tao Increases, )B) The cost at living Is IncreasIng. IC) Paychecks are going up. 101 Money Is less valuable, (The question requires the student to inter the main idea of a paragraph. All of the choices state ideas contained in the yaragraph, but choices B, C, and D are included only to support the maior contention stated in choice A.) (The question requires the student to comprehend that the statement "Consult a physician immediately" means "Call a doctor as soon as you can." The correct answeris B.( Question 3: This question Is based on the following para- graph, - Most people know that Inflation makes money less valu- able, People are not able to buy as much with each dollar as they could last year. But few people realize that Infla- tion leads to tao Increases, As paychecks go up to meet the increased cast at living, workers are forced Into higher tao brackets. They pay hlghertaxes on money that Is worth WRITING Some educators stress "correctness" and the use of standard English, and others stress "communication" and the acceptance of dialectal variat ion. Most people agree, however, that high school students should be able to follow such tiasic conventions of standard written English as beginning sentences with capital tellers, ending them with the appropriate punc- tuation, and spelling common words correctly. It is also important that high school students be prepared to write effectively as well as correctly. The Writer's Skills Test, therefore, measures both stan- durd conventions of writing and effectiveness of expres- sion. About one-third of the 75 questions measure spell- ing, capitalization, and punctuation. The remainder of the lest measures appropriate usage, relevancy of in- formation, and organization. While there areample data showing that multiple choice tests of writing skills correlate substantially with the results of scoring actual samples, some educators pry- ferto measure writing skill directly. Therefore, awriting sample test is offered in addition to the multiple choice Writer's Skills Test. By special arrangement, program participants may elect to return writing samples to ETS for scoring, or they may chooseto score the papers locally with training and assistance from ETS staff. PAGENO="0170" SKILLS ~SA'1EN1 166 * lnservice training program. Through regional confer- ences, workbooks, and other media, faculty and ad- ministrators can learn about tests and testing, scor- ing, score interpretation, uses of scores, and the communication of score results. * NEWS OF THE BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT PRO- GRAM. Designed to help program participants share problems and solutions, this newsletter reports de- velopments from a variety of sources in the field, as well as news of the program itself. * Assistance with setting local standards. BUILDING ON A SOLID FOUNDATION OF RESEARCH From 1970 through 1975, ETS carried out major research under the U.S. Office of Education's Targeted Research and Development Program in Reading, often referred to as the national Right to Read project. In a national sur- vey, ETS research scientists probed the questions sur- rounding the specific levels of reading ability required of aduits in everyday life: In what situations and for what yeasons are particular levels of reading skills used? A precursor of other, similar national efforts, this survey yielded extensive data that exemplify the solid base of research on which ETS is building the Basic Skills Assessment program. Research, of course, is a continuing process. During the program's developmental phase, additional studies have been conducted, including: * Analyses of basic skill areas. Draft analyses of the three skill areas were constructed based on past models of basic skills. These drafls will receive broad review among program participants. * Survey of teachers across the nation. Responses to a questionnaire sent to hundreds of leachers were analyzed to incorporate their judgments of student perlormance on the basic skills into the standard- setting process. EducatIonal TestIng SernlcelPrlnCetOfl, NJ 08549 STEERING COMMITTEE DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVES Dr George N SmilhlMr. Richard Kiibnurne Dr. John F. MonbouquellelMinn Ann Keenan High School Dislrict 207, Mesa, AZ BrainlreeiMAl Public Schools Dr. Gordon R. GraveslDr. Frank Goeddel Dr. Vincent Siiluzin Fresno Cily Unified School District, Frenno, CA Newton iMAl Pablio Schools Dr. Alden W. Badal 0 0 I Oakland 1CAI Unified Schooi Dislriol Lansing iMil School District Dr. Mabel Purl Ft d(CA)U I dSh ID I I MOM I fWbl 0 MO DenveniCOl Public Schools Dr. William A. ShineiMs. Susan Kinney Dr Robed Barry Cherry Hill INJ1 Public Schonln Stamford iCTi Public Schools Mn. Belsy Haley Dr. Rick NalionslMr Oscar Perry Charlolle.Mecklenbarg Schools. NC SarasolaiFLi County Schools Dr. Russell A. Workirg Dr. Jarvis BarneslDr. Carole McCarsor Toledo iOHi Public Schools AlianlaioAl Public Schools Dr. Victor Doherty Dr. Edward OilberliDr. Marvin Christensen Portland IORI Public Schools Township High School Dislnicl 214, Mount Prospect. IL Dr. Benjamin Turner Mr. Gordon McAndrewlMr. Nicholas McDonald Harrisburg iRAi School Dislricl Gary ilNiCommanily School Corporation O M WI Dr.J. F. HallIMs. Doris Clanlon Des Moines hA) Independent Community School District Schooi District of Greenville County, SC Dr John A. Maurelli Dr. Ray Chancellor Daviess CounlyiKYl Public Schools Denlon iTXl Public Schools Dr Maurice Kahn Dr. Gary A. ClarkiMr. Herbert Vilale The Howard County IMOl Public Schools The Lynchburg iVAl Public Schools A3801 _RRs7p3o-2oleee-prinledin U.S.A. PAGENO="0171" 167 June 15, 1977 Draft Approved by Basic Skills Assessment Executive Co ttee for release to ~ BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT TEST SPECIFICATIONS Introduction The following materials describe the tests that have been developed for the Basic Skills Assessment (BSA). A brief introduction to the topic of test specifications is followed by a discussion of the methods used to set specifications for the BSA. The specifications for each of the tests in the program are given showing the content and skills that are measured. The members of the Test Development coimnittees are listed with their professional affiliations. Because the BSA tests are secure, representative sample tests have been prepared to serve as specimen copies. Each sample is approximately one-fourth the length of the actual test. Within that limitation, the samples provide an accurate basis for judging the full length tests. What are Specifications? Test specifications have often been compared to blueprints because they contain an outline of all the information necessary to "build" a test. Test specifications may be divided into four major areas, each dealing with different attributes of an examination: Copyright © 1977 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. PAGENO="0172" 168 1. Physical (the number of questions, the format of the questions, the way the test is to be administered and scored, the testing time, the general appearance and layout of the test, and so on); 2. Statistical (the intended difficulty, the appropriate level of dis- crimination, the desired reliability, the scoring formula to be used, and the like); 3. Content (the subj ect matter areas covered by the examination, and the percentage of the examination devoted to each content area); 4. Ability (the various abilities and skills measured by the examination such as literal comprehension, inference, evaluation, application, and the percentage of the examination devoted to each ability). The specifications for the Basic Skills Assessment and the processes through which the specifications were derived will be detailed below. How Were Specifications Determined for BSA? Setting specifications for the Basic Skills Assessment was done in a step- wise process with uxre and more detailed decisions being made at each succeeding step. The initial broad decisions were made with the help of a Preliminary Advisory Group: *there would be measures of reading, writing, and mathematics; *the tests should be used primarily for the identification of the students requiring remediation in the basic skills; and school districts should be as heavily involved as possible in the construction of the instruments and in the design of the program. The Preliminary Advisory Group was drawn from educators and educational administrators around the country who had shown an active interest in the measurement of basic skilla. PAGENO="0173" 169 In response to the Preliminary Advisory Group's suggestion to involve school districts, several parallel efforts were undertaken. The first step was the development of a consortium of school districts now numbering approximately 300 to assist ETS in the development of the program, the design of the tests, and in the planning of related services. Representatives of 25 of these school districts formed a Steering Committee to help formulate policies for the Basic Skills Assessment Program. While the consortium was being formed, Educational Testing Service drew on its experience with the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the Targeted Research and Development Program in Reading, and various state-wide assessment programs to put together lists of possible skills and content areas that might be measured in basic skills assessment tests. From these lists, questionnaires were developed and sent to 4,000 school districts around the United States. Respondents were asked to rate each of the entries on the questionnaire interns of its relevance and importance for inclusion in a test of basic skills. The results were tabulated, and a rank ordering of specifications by perceived importance was created. Members of the Consortium Steering Coimnittee reviewed the results of the questionnaires and suggested additions and possible revisions. The members of the Steering Committee were asked to nominate people within their districts to serve as members of Test Development Committees that would make detailed decisions about the content of the examinations. Representatives of the relevant professional organizations were added to the lists of nominees. Committee members were then selecte& to insure reasonable representation of regions of the country, men and women,~ ethnic groups and type of professional experience. PAGENO="0174" 170 Two Test Development Committees were established: one for reading and writing and one for mathematics. Using as a data base the results of the specifications questionnaire, the Committees were asked to determine which entries on the questionnaires should be included in the test and to suggest additional entries. The Committees then were asked to determine what proportion of the examination should be allocated to each of the content areas and skills to be measured. As is to be expected in an area as complicated as the assessment of basic skills, the coimnittee process involved much discussion and compromise. When grappling with the reading test, for example, a great deal of discussion followed the suggestion to include such "literary" content and skills as poetry, narrative fiction, figurative language, character evaluation, and the like. The bulk of the disqussion dealt with a re-evaluation of what should be considered basic. Well reasoned arguments were made on both sides of the issue leading to the compromise of excluding poetry, including narrative fiction and including, where possible, such skills as evaluation of written materials. Similar discussions took place ameng members of the mathematics committee in trying to decide whether or not to include applications of the Pythagorean theorem, or the use of English vs. metric measurement units, for example. The results of the committees' deliberations are summarized in the detailed listing of specifications that follow. WHAT ARE THE SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT TESTS? Flexibility of Specificatipng The specifications that follow are those that were arrived at for the initial year of the Basic Skills Assessment. If the needs of users of the tests clange over time, the specifications will be changed to help meet those needs. A new edition of the test will become available each semester. PAGENO="0175" 171 Physical Specifications There are three separate multiple-choice examinations: Reading, A Writer's Skills, and Mathematics. Each test is designed to be administered in approximately 45 minutes and to be machine scorable. In addition, there is a direct measure of writing ability designed to be administered within a 45-minute period that must be scored subjectively. Two parallel forms of each of the tests are available. Statistical Specifications Since the primary purpose of the Basic Skills Assessment is to identify those students requiring remediation in the basic skills, the tests are at a difficulty level that efficiently discriminates between a group requiring remediation in the basic skills and a group not requiring such remediation. The tests are relatively easy for the population as a whole. The tests are designed to have reliabilities over .90 which is commensurate with the kind of decisions we expect to be made on the basis of the test scores. The tests are unspeeded. In other words, almost all of the students taking the test should be able to finish all the questions within the suggested time. Content and Ability Specifications Of course, the content and abilities measured are different in each one of the examinations. The pages that follow indicate the skills and abilities measured and the number of questions devoted to them for each of the three tests. PAGENO="0176" 172 BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE READING TEST READING SKILLS TO BE MEASURED READING SKILLS Number of Questions Literal Comprehension 33 Inference 25 Evaluation 7 Total 65 CONTENT CATEGORY MATERIALS TO BE READ Telephone Directory 2 Loan Agreement 2 CONSUMER Guarantee 2 Advertising 3 Operating Guides 2 Product Information Sub-Total 13 Newspaper or Magazine 3 Narrative Fiction 4 LEARNER Dictionary 2 School Catalogue 2 Cartoon 1 Book or Periodical Titles 2 Sub-Total 14 Editorial 3 Tax Form 2 CITIZEN Driver's Application Form 2 Law 2 Political Propaganda 3 Conmunity Resources Sub-Total 14 Medicine Label Directions 3 Product Warnings 3 PROTECTOR Nutritional Information 2 First Aid Information 2 Road Map Sub-Total 12 Job Application 3 Description of Benefits 2 PRODUCER Bus Schedule 2 Want Ads 3 Work Related Information 2 Sub-Total 12 TOTAL 65 PAGENO="0177" 173 BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT SPECIFICATIONS FOR A WRITER' S SKILLS TEST WRITING SKILLS TO BE MEASURED WRITING SKILLS Number of Questions I. Mechanics of Writing (A) Spelling of common words 14 (B) Capitalization and Punctuation 14 capitalization of proper nouns capitalization of proper adjectives unnecessary capitalization end punctuation commas in addresses and dates cot~as in series commas for clarity unnecessary comma apostrophe to show possession apostrophe to show contraction quotation marks (direct quotation) (C) Fill Out Forms Competently 4 II. Effectiveness of Expression (A) Appropriate Usage of Standard Written English 17 subj ect-verb agreement verb form tense sentence fragment double negative diction, according to meaning pronoun agreementwith antecedent pronoun shift pronoun case adj ective-verb confusion unidiomatic infinitive comparison of modifiers unidiomatic prepositions logical agreement logical comparison dangling modifier parallelism (B) Evaluation and Organization 26 clarification irrelevancy sentence relationship economy ordering information diction, according to tone 95-038 0 - 77 - 12 PAGENO="0178" 174 BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT SPECIFICATIONS FOR A WRITER' S SKILLS TEST (CONTINUED) CONTENT CATEGORY MATERIALS Letter explaining a problem CONSUMER Personal check Letter requesting information Informative passage LEARNER Narrative passage Summary Announcements CITIZEN Letter expressing a point of view Properly addressed envelope Letter requesting information PROTECTOR Announcements Instructions Want Ads PRODUCER Letter of application for employment Application form SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE WRITING SAMPLE OPTION A--Practical and Expository Writing: 45 minutes 1. Organize and express thoughts about a visual or written stimulus. (20 mm.) 2. Write a letter of application. (20 mm.) 3. Fill out a form. (5 mm.) OPTION B--Practical Writing: 45 minutes 1. Accurately convey information. (20 mm.) 2. Write a letter of application. (20 mm.) 3. Fill out a form. (5 mm.) PAGENO="0179" 175 BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT SPECIFICATIONS FOR. THE MATHEMATICS TEST MATHEMATICS SKILLS TO BE MEAStTRED Number of Questions Add or subtract whole numbers 2 Multiply or divide whole numbers 11 Add or subtract decimals 6 Multiply decimals 4 Add or subtract fractions 1 Multiply fractions 2 Identify equivalences: fractions, decimal, percent 5 Find the percent of a number 1 Approximate numbers by rounding 1 Find what percent one number is of another 1 Compute an average 1 Identify the expression of an amount of money in words 1 as on a check Approximate sums, differences, products and quotients 6 Estimate measurement (intuitive comparison) 4 Compute measurements 8 Read graphs (bar, line, circle) tables and scales 8 Interpret scale drawings 2 Compute interest . 1 Compute elapsed time 1 Combine operations Total 70 CONTENT COMPUTATION Straightforward Computation 30 APPLICATIONS Consumer Buying (comparative shopping, installment buying, 10 discounts, etc.) Taxes (sales, income, etc.) 2 Banking (savings, borrowing, mortgage) 4 Wages and Salaries (time, payroll deductions, etc.) 4 Household Tasks and Expenses (utilities, decorating) 6 Shipping and Mailing 1 Mileage, Parking, Safety, Transportation 5 Statistical Inference (polls, advertising) 1 Health and Nutrition 2 General Activities, Sports Total 70 The Test Development Committee for Mathematics did not feel that the use of the content categories (consumer, learner, etc.) would be appropriate in mathematics. PAGENO="0180" 176 BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT COMEITTEE MEMBERS FOR READING AND WRITING Dr. Joan Beers Director of Research and Evaluation Harrisburg School District Harrisburg, PA Ms. Ann Bronner Director of Staff Development Atlanta Public Schools Atlanta, GA Dr. Ray Chancellor Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Denton Public Schools Denton, TX Dr. Carol Coleman Elementary Coordinator Cherry Hill Public Schools Cherry Hill, NJ Also Attending Ms. Mary I. Lanigan Head of Department of English Newton North High School Newton Highland, MA Ms. Ellen Manhire Language Arts Coordinator Fresno Unified School District Fresno, CA Mr. John C. Maxwell Deputy Executive Secretary National Council of Teachers of English Urbana, IL Ms. Hortense Evans (Observer) Administrative Intern Atlanta Public Schools College Park, GA Dr. Gordon Graves (Observer) Director of Educational Research Fresno Unified School District Fresno, CA PAGENO="0181" 177 BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT CO~ITTEE MEMBERS FOR MATHEMATICS Mr. George Brucker Mathematics Coordinator School District of Webster Groves Columbia, IL Mr. Edgar L. Edwards, Jr. Supervisor of Mathematics State Department of Education Richmond, VA Ms. Mary Froustet Mathematics Teacher Union High- School Union, NJ Dr. Shirley Hill Professor of Education and Mathematics University of Missouri Kansas City, MO Mr. Allen H. Smith Mathematics Coordinator Secondary Schools of Fresno Fresno, CA Dr. Ross Taylor Mathematics Consultant Minneapolis Public Schools Minneapolis, MN PAGENO="0182" 178 BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT SAMPLE TEST READING The purpose of this test is to see how well you can read the kinds of things that many people think are important. The questions are based on selections taken from such things as labels, forms, bus schedules, and newspaper articles. Look over the questions following each selection to get an idea of the kind of information that you should be looking for. Then read the selection and answer the questions based on it. Each question in. the test is followed by four suggested answers. Read each question and then decide which one of. the four suggested answers is best. Find the row of spaces on your answer sheet which has the sane number as the question. In this row, mark the space having the same letter, as the answer you have chosen. Try to answer every question. There is no penalty for guessing. Do not spend too much time on any one question. There are 15 questions in the test. Sample Question Most drivers take of a second to react to a danger signal. A car can go a long way in that length of time. How long does it take most drivers to react to a danger signal? (A) second Sample Answer (B) 1 second (C) 3 seconds (D) 4 seconds The correct answer is (A) "~ second." Therefore, answer space (A) is marked. Copyright (E3l977 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. PAGENO="0183" 179 ~uestions 1-3 refer to the following medicine label. RAMITOL: FOR TEMPORARY RELIEF OF MILD SORE THROAT Dosage: 3 - 6 years; -j teaspoon at 6-hour intervals 6 - 12 years; teaspoon at 6-hour intervals over 12 years; 1 teaspoon at 4-hour intervals WARNING: Severe and persistent sore throat or sore throat accompanied by fever, headache, nausea, or vomiting may be serious. Consult a physician immediately. If rash or irritation develops, stop use and consult a physician. Do not use more than 2 days or administer to children under 3 years of age unless directed by physician. 1. According to the directions, if you have a sore throat, fever, and a headache, you should (A) use Ramitol for more than 2 days (B) call a doctor as soon as you can (C) increase the amount of Ramitol you take (D) use other medicine to stop the pain 2. How much Ramitol should be given to a 7-year-old child? (A) -j teaspoon every 6 hours (B) teaspoon every 6 hours (C) teaspoon every 4 hours * (D) 1 teaspoon every 4 hours 3. You should stop using Ramitol right away if you get a (A) headache (B) fever (C) rash (D) sore throat GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. PAGENO="0184" 180 Questions 4-6 refer to the following table of contents. Adult Games and Hobbies . . . . 164-165 Apparel-- Men's 104-106 Women's, Furs 107-109 Appliances- Portable 41-43 Major 103 Artificial Flowers 67 Auto Accessories 163 Barbecue Grills 178 Bath-- Accessories 92-93,96-97 Hampers 94-95 Mats, Scales 98-99 Shower Curtains and Draperies 94-95 Bedding 69 Bedspreads 74-77 Blankets 78-89 Cameras, Photo Equipment . . . 128-129 Clocks 36,40,44-45 Closet and Sewing Accessories . . 88-89 Comforters 81 Cookware/Housewares 22-35 Curtains, Draperies 84-85 Dinnerware-- China 19 Melamine 13 Semi-vitreous 16-17 Floor Care 102-103 Giftware 4-9 Glassware 10-11 Hassocks 62 Inf ants' Apparel 146-147 Infants' Bedding 144-145 Instructions, How to Order . . . . 179 Juvenile Furniture and Nursery Accessories 144-145 Juvenile Wheel Goods, High Chairs 146-147 Kitchen Dinettes 31 Lamps 58-62 Laundry Supplies/Irons . . . . 100-101 Luggage 124-127 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. PAGENO="0185" 181 4. Which pages would you read if you wanted information about cameras? (A) 40-45 (B) 74-77 (C) 128-129 (D) 144-145 5. Which pages would you read if you wanted information about baby clothes? (A) 78-79 (B) 107-109 (C) 124-127 (0) 146-147 6. Information about lamps is found on pages (A) 58-62 (B) 88-89 (C) 92-93 (0) 104-106 GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. PAGENO="0186" 182 Questions 7-9 refer to the following form. ~ REQUEST FOR CHANGE F.~ App....d $.d~ MA,~ N~ 72-1 21. EA~~ IN SOCIAL SECURITY RECORDS ~ TY CCO NT MIt l..d `.MI..s 0. 1.~ i.o.~. rini. t. p.,... p,s~ .. ~_ ..~,, IF IEQUEST1PEG NAME OIANGE (Fi~.t Nrn.) (Mild!, N~~t .~ I.isi~I-,f...,. dAM li,.t -) (L.a N...,) `~ DO NOT =~A~~LY P,.., YOUR NAME AS (Fi~u 5...,) (MidlIt N.~ I..itid-tf ~,. d,..~ I,., -) (L..t N..,j~]0 DATE (M..th) (D.y) ~ ~~I1ETH DATE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED (If dlfft~,M f~ JUt. 3) CE (Cüy) (Ct..,Iy) (Salt) MALE FEMALE MoThErs FULL NAME AT HER IIITH (A,. ~id,.. .t.') 0~ATHERS FULL NAME (E,~..&t.t ./ ..`h.th.. Ińi~g I? dt.d) ~ ANc.Dc.~,~wEEWE (Sau) PRESENT (N,.,bt.- ~*d Sfrttt, Apt. N.. P.O. B.r. R...d RMEt) (ZIP CODE) TODAYS DATE TELEPHONE NO. YOUR NAME HERf (D. Ntt P.1*:) F.t.. OAAN-7D03 (2-6!) EAS~* tD*pI.t.d tp~(ktIit.~ It SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION OFECE 7. On which part of the form should you write where you were born? (A) 3 (B) 4 (C) 5 (D) 6 8. On which part of the form do you tell if you lost your social security card? (A) 9 (B) 10 (C) 11 (D) 12 9. Line 1 of this form should be used to report a change of (A) address (B) name / (C) telephone number (D) social security number GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. PAGENO="0187" 183 Questions 10-11 refer to the following bus schedule. MIDDLETOWN TO SPRINGDALE Leave Middletown Arrive Springdale 6:15 a.m. 7:10 a.m. 7:30 a.m. 8:45 a.m. 8:10 a.m. 9:25 a.m. 9:05 a.m. 10:15 a.m. 11:35 a.m. 12:40 p.m. 1:20 p.m. 2:35 p.m. 3:15 p.m. 4:20 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 6:05 p.m. 6:30 p.m. 7:45 p.m. 10. The bus that leaves Middletown at 11:35 a.m. arrives in Springdale at (A) 12:40 p.m. (B) 2:35 p.m. (C) 4:20 p.m. (D) 6:05 p.m. * 11. The latest bus you can take from Middletown to be in Springdale before 5:00 p.m. leaves at (A) 9:05 a.m. (B) 11:35 a.m. (C) 1:20 p.m. (D) 3:15 p.m. GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. PAGENO="0188" 184 Question 12 refers to the following information. Those entitled to this minimum wage are employed by such establishments as preschools, schools, and colleges; hospitals; laundries; large hotels, motels, and restaurants; and motion picture theaters. 12. Which of the following would be entitled to the minimum wage referred to above? (A) A farm worker (B) A worker in an automobile factory (C) A coal miner (D) A teacher's aide GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. PAGENO="0189" 185 ~~stions 13-15 refer to the following passage. What could she say to convince them of the importance of her study? The board of judges seemed cool and uninterested the morning Katherine went to ask them for money to support her study. Politely the chairman asked about the purpose of what Katherine wanted to do. Katherine had her answer ready. She said, "It's a bit difficult to describe, exactly. Do you mind if I show you?" The chairman nodded. Katherine slipped out of her dress, quickly undressing to the costume she wore beneath. This took everyone by surprise. Gracefully Katherine turned before them and danced a few steps from a scene in a famous ballet. She straightened up and said, "That is the kind of dancing being taught here." Then she threw her body into an African tribal dance. She told the board, "That is the way people dance in other places. I want to go where they dance like that. I want to find out why, how it started, and what influence the dances had on the people. I want to learn more about my heritage." The chairman leaned over and asked, "How about the West Indies?" Katherine had won her grant. 13. The title that tells most about the passage is (A) Katherine Convinces the Judges (B) Dances of the West Indies (C) Katherine and the Ballet Dancer (D) Teaching the Judges to Dance 14. Why did Katherine dance for the judges? (A) To describe what she wanted to study - (B) To prove that she was a good dancer (C) To show off her costume (D) To show how beautiful ballet could be 15. According to the passage, when the judges saw Katherine's costume, they were (A) angry (B) surprised (C) uninterested (D) worried IF YOU FINISH BEFORE TINE IS UP, CHECK YOUR WORK ON THE SA~fE'LE TEST. PAGENO="0190" 186 BASIC SKILLS ASSESSMENT SAMPLE TEST A WRITER'S SKILLS The purpose of this test is to find out how well you know the kinds of things that many people think are important in standard written English. There is a variety of questions about spelling, punctuation, usage, sentence structure, and sentence relationships. The types of written material include notices, messages, sentences, paragraphs, letters, and application forms. Each question in the test is followed by four suggested answers. Read each question and then decide which one of the four suggested answers is best. Find the row of spaces on your answer sheet which has the same number as the question. In this row, mark the space having the same letter as the answer you have chosen. Try to answer every question. There is no penalty for guessing. Do not spend too much time on any one question. There are 22. questions in the test. Sample Question Directions: Choose the one underlined word that is misspelled. Mary called. She said she could ~~ple Answer A take care of the children Sater4ay B C D The correct answer to this question is C, because Saturday is misspelled. Therefore, answer space C is marked. . DO NOT BEGIN UNTIL YOU ABE TOLD TO DO SO. Copyright © 1977 by Educational Testing Service. All rights reserved. PAGENO="0191" 187 Directions for Questions 1-4: Choose the one underlined word that is misspelled. 1. Found: Adress book, no identification of owner. See A B secretary in main office. C D 2. Maria--We have basketball practice tomorrow night. Hope A B Y2~ able to be . Sue C D 3. Availible: g~iitar in excellent condition. $45. A B C D 4. Beginning Wednesday: instruction in repair and A B maintainance of small appliances. Room 204. C D GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. PAGENO="0192" 188 Directions for Question~~5~: In each of the following sentences, find the error in punctuation or capitalization. No sentence has more than one error. 5. This weeks' film~ "Food from the Sea," will be shown A BC at 8:00 p.m. D 6. "Are you going to spend the Summer working in New A B England?" asked Jane~ C D 7. When he thought I wasn't looking, my playful~~rother A BC. would take a bite of my chocolate cake. D 8. Nr~ Miller wants his mail forwarded to_3l Center Street, A B C Birmingham~ Alabama. D GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. PAGENO="0193" 189 Directions for Question 9: Choose the best answer to the question. 9. Which way should David Albert Woods fill out the following line in an application form? APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYNENT Name: LJirst~jtmiddleinitinl~ (A) Woods David A. (B) D. A. Woods (C) Woods D. A. (D) David Albert Woods GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. 95-038 0 - 77 - 13 PAGENO="0194" 190 Directions for Questions 10-14: Choose the word or set of words that best completes each sentence. 10. Whenever Jackie rides her bicycle, beside her. (A) and her dog runs (B) her running dog (C) her dog runs (D) then her dog running 11. My music teacher thinks that Marian Anderson sings any other contralto he has ever heard. (A) more well than (B) better than (C) the most good of (D) more better over 12. Never use cleaning fluids or polish on a television screen because (A) of this harming the glass (B) the glass can suffer from it (C) of the reason of injury to the glass (D) they can damage the glass 13. Jerry's supervisor praised his ability (A) that he works quickly (B) of quick work (C) for his working quick (D) to work quickly GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. PAGENO="0195" 14. Eric wanted to buy a motorcycle, but his parents would not (A) be accepting it (B) allow their approval (C) give their permission (D) have agreement with it GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. PAGENO="0196" 192 Directions for Questions 15-16: Choose the word or set of words that can logically join each pair of sentences. The punctuation will be different in the new sentence, but the words must remain the same. Look at this example. Many people trade in cars for newer models. Their old cars still work well. (A) excepting that (B) even though (C) and also (D) as if The correct answer is (B). The new sentence reads: "Many people .trade in cars for newer models even though their old cars still work well." 15. David returned the new toaster to the store. It didn't work. (A) otherwise (B) unless (C) because (D) or 16. The teacher would like to take the students on a camping trip. She must get permission from the parents. (A) regardless of (B) but first (C) so that (D) and if CO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. PAGENO="0197" 193 Directions for Questions 17-18: Choose the best answer to each question. 17. If you had to provide your employer with a written excuse for not coming to work, which of the foflowing should you use? (A) It is unfortunate on the company's behalf that I was detained elsewhere. (B) My reason is that it was not convenient for me to cone to work on that particular day. (C) I had to take my neighbor to the hospital for an emergency operation. (D) Employees should strive to attend work whenever it is possible to do this. 18. Imagine that you are writing a short story about a terrible shipwreck. Which of. these sentences would be most effective for you to use? (A) The ship sailed closer and closer to the. jagged rocks. Suddenly there was a crunching sound as the rocks tore into the ship's wooden hull. (B) The ship sailed right upon the jagged rocks. It then was affected as the wooden hull passed over these rocks. (C) The rocks were jagged, and also they were dangerous, too. As the ship came up near them, it was sure that the wooden hull would undergo extreme damage. (D) The jaggedness Of the rocks provided a danger situation. Striking these, the ship harmed its wooden hull very greatly. GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. PAGENO="0198" 194 Questions l9~Z2 refer to the following letter. 101 Arbutus Drive San Antonio, TX 91803 March 5, 1977 Irish Tourist Bureau 101 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10018 Dear Sir or Madam: ~My ninth-grade class is studying European geography. 2Geography is not my favorite subject, but I usually make a good grade in it. am writing a term paper about the tourist industry in Ireland. 4Covering the period from 1950 to the present. ~I need some information of this nature. - Yours truly, Melinda Jarvis * 19. What should be done with sentence 2? (A) It should be joined to sentence 1 with ~. (B) It should be placed before a~itence 1. (C) It should be made into two sentences. (D) It should be omitted. GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE. PAGENO="0199" 195 20. What should be done with sentence 4? (A) It should be left as it is. (B) It should be joined to sentence 3. (C) Covering should be changed to The cover of. (D) It should be omitted. 21. In sentence 5, of this nature should be changed to (A) in this aspect (B) of factual things (C) on such `an issue (D) about this subject 22. Which of the following' is the most appropriate ending for this letter? (A) I would appreciate any relevant material that you could send me. (B) Whatever realistic data you could send me would be held in esteem on my part. (C) Thanking you in advance, please send me everything about Ireland. (D) Put any stuff you have about Ireland in an envelope addressed to me. I will be real appreciating if so. IT YOU FINISH BEFORE TINE `IS CALLED, CHECK YOUR I~)RK ON THIS TEST.. PAGENO="0200" 196 THE WRITING SAMPLE Basic Skills Assessment Program In conjunction with its objective Test of a Writer's Skills, the Basic Skills Assessment Program offers an optional set of writing exercises. The writing set adds to the validity of the multiple-choice measure of writing ability; it has the added value of emphasizing to students and their teachers the importance of actual writing in the classroom. The set of exercises meet the following specifications: A. Write a letter applying for a job in response to a want ad. B. Fill out a simple form, such as an application for a driver's license. C.. Choose one: (i) Creative writing: Write imaginatively about a visual or written stimulus. (ii) Informative writing: Accurately convey given information such as relaying a telephone message or describing a process. Selection of Exercises The exercises were pretested to determine how well ninth graders could understand and handle the assignment in the time allotted. ETS suggests 45 minutes for the entire set, but districts are free to adjust the timing. Scoring of Exercises Exercise B will be' scored analytically by teachers' aides with a score of acceptable or unacceptable. If the exercise has 8 blanks to be filled out correctly, a score of acceptable might be 6 in one district, 8 in another. Rubrics for "correctness" must be determined by the district before the scoring begins. Exercises A, C 1, C ii will be scored holistically by English teachers. In addition, the exercises can be scored analytically for purposes of diagnosis or program evaluation if districts so desire. The lasic theory of holistic scoring is that each factor of writing skill is related to the others and no single factor can be separated froth the rest. PAGENO="0201" 197 Readers read each piece of writing for its total impression. Minor grammatical errors should be ignored in holistic scoring. Students are writing hurriedly and have no time for extensive organization or revision. Since readers are reading for total impression, a poorly written paper will not need word by word analysis. If a paper contains minor mistakes because the writer was hurrying, then the reader will be able to judge the quality of the paper better by reading it for its overall impression. Each student's writing is read by two different readers. If the two scores on a paper vary greatly, the paper is read by a third reader. The scale and rubrics for scoring may vary according to the needs of the district. It is essential, however, that the holistic procedures be strictly adhered to so that the readers' judgments are independent and faithful to the rubrics. A district may decide to have its students' papers for exercises A, C i, C ii scored in any of the following ways: 1. Send them to ETS for holistic readings. 2. Have ETS personnel conduct a reading for the district, using local teachers as readers. 3. Have ETS personnel conduct a workshop in the district to train local teachers to run their own readings. 4. Conduct its own readings, guided by ETS materials. If you require additional information about the Writing Sample or holistic scoring, please call or write Mary. Fowles or Harriett Frankel at (609) 921-9000. PAGENO="0202" 198 STATEMENT before the Education, Arts, and Humanities Subcommittee of the Human Resources Committee on July 27, 1977 by Roy H. Forbes Director, National Assessment of Educational Progress PAGENO="0203" 199 My name is Roy H. Forbes. I am the director of the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a project of the National Center for Education Statistics under contract to the Education Commission of the States. The National Assess- ment of Educational Progress was designed to determine what skills, knowledge, and attitudes are possessed by young Americans aged 9, 13, 17 and 26-35. More specifically, the project reports the educational attainments of young Americans and monitors changes in these attainments (growth or decline) over time. Each year, National Assessment assesses one or more of the following learning areas: Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, Citizenship/Social Studies, Career and Occupational Development, Literature, Art and Music. Within each age group, the data are presented by sex, region of the country (Northeast, Southeast, Central, and West), race (Black, White, and Other), level of parental education, and size-and-type of community. Using special analytic techniques, National Assessment was able to recently report the level of Hispanic achievement in five learning areas. This represents one of the few national sources of data on Hispanic students. In the eight years that the project has been collecting data, baseline data have been collected in all of the learning areas. From the second assessment of science, the project was able to determine that the percentage of young Americans able to answer the typical science question bad decreased by approximately 2 percentage points for 9-, 13-, and 17-year-olds. From the second writing assessment, the project discovered that while 13- and 17-year-olds had maintained their skills in PAGENO="0204" 200 the area of writing mechanics, there was an overall decline in the coherence of their essays. Students appear to have developed a tendency to write the way they talked. From a special study of functional literacy, conducted for the Right to Read Effort, National Assessment determined that there was an overall 2 per- centage point increase in the ability of in-school 17-year-olds to respond correctly to the most basic type of reading tasks, and that students who were Black, from rural areas or inner-city areas, had increased their abilities by approximately 4 percentage points. From the second reading assessment, it was determined that the reading abilities of 13- and 17-year-olds had not changed significantly from their counterparts in the first reading assessment (conducted four years earlier); moreover, it was discovered that the 9-year-olds had made significant increases in their reading abilities. A variety of uses and users exist for the National Assessment materials. The results from each assessment are shared with the appropriate educator groups, concerned federa1~gencies and commissions, and the general public. The results from an assessment often spur various interest groups on to further investigation and research. As a pa~rt of its reporting policy, National Assessment releases a portion of the Items that are used to conduct an assessment, to facilitate a better understanding of the results. In addition, the released items and general assess- ment methodology are made available tO state and local education agencies for their use in evaluatlon/assessn~ent efforts. For example, the states of Maine, PAGENO="0205" 201 Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Florida, Minnesota, Louisiana and Hawaii have used portions of the released mathematics items as a part of their state assessments to allow comparisons to the national and regional results. The state of New Hampshire used a special set of materials entitled "Education for Citizenship: A Bicentennial Survey" to assess its youths in the area of Citizenship. Because of the interest in students' writing abilities, the Bloomington (Minnesota), Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs, Colorado), Lincoln (Nebraska), Air Force Academy (Colorado), and Dover (New Hampshire) school districts have all used portions of the released writing materials to con- duct their own local assessments of writing. The results were then used by those local districts to plan and develop curricular improvements. Another example of how National Assessment data is used for curricular improvement was a series of articles which appeared in the Arithmetic Teacher. Each article took items from the first mathematics assessment, examined how students re- spon~ed incorrectly, and suggested techniques teachers could use to correct the students' computational and problem solving deficiencies. These examples demonstrate the utilization of National Assessment's materials and data by local and state education agencies. The requests by state and local agencies for information, materials, and service from National Assessment continue to increase. These increases are PAGENO="0206" 202 due to the desire for materials with adequate reporting data which can be used for comparative purposes on an optional basis by local and state agencies. Indeed, many local agencies use National Assessment materials because of their comparative power. Thus, the National Assessment of Educational Progress is attempting to meet these data needs of federal, state, and local agencies. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would be pleased to respond to questions from the committee. PAGENO="0207" 203 ~~1I Education Commission of the States _____________________ 300 LINCOLN TOWER. 1860 LINCOLN STREET (303) 893-5200 . DENVER. COLORADO 80203 August 12, 1977 The Honorable Claiborne Pell Dirksen Senate Office Building Room 4228 Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator Pell: Reference the Subcommittee on Education, Arts and Humanities' hearing on the Quality of Education-Testing 977, July 27, 1977. You requested that I provide for the record the following information: (1) The number of Rhode Island students included in the National Assess- ment sample. (2) The list of states which have replicated portions of the National A ssessment. (3) Examples of exercises used by the project in conducting an assess- ment. You also requested that I provide you with my ideas about what an optional national test in reading, writing and computation should be and what things should be considered in preparing such a test. Responses to these four re- quests are enclosed. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before your committee. If I can provide you with any further information or comments, please call. I would be happy to respond. Sincerely, Director Ends NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS PAGENO="0208" 204 Enclosure #1 Number of Rhode Island Students in the National Assessment Sample During the first six years of the assessment (1969-70 through 1974-75), approx- imately 400 Rhode Island students participated in the assessment each year. The 400 students consisted of an average of 120 9-year-olds, 130 13-year-olds, and 150 17-year-olds annually. Under the new sampling design implemented for greater efficiency in the seventh year of the assessment (1975-76), Rhode Island students participate in the assessment two out of every four years rather than annually. They will be participating in the assessment of mathematics this fall and also the assessment of writing the following year. It is estimated that approximately 900 Rhode Island students will be assessed in each assessment; the 900 students will consist of 300 students at each age level for each year. PAGENO="0209" 205 Enclosure #2 STATE ASSESSMENT REPLICATIONS The following states have conducted state-wide assessment programs closely patterned after National Assessments procedures. By replicating these assessment procedures and using items from National Assessment, these states were able to compare their students achievement to national and regional results. Connect i cut Florida Hawaii Louisiana Maine Massachusetts Minnesota New Hampshire Rhode Island Tennessee Washington 95-038 0-77-14 PAGENO="0210" 206 Enclosure #3 NATIONAL ASSESSMENT EXAMPLE TEST ITEMS This enclosure contains selected test items from the areas of mathematics, reading and writing. National and regional results for l3-year-olds are shown on pages 10-11. NAEP test items are developed to measure specific learning objectives con- sidered to be important by scholars, educators and lay people. The items are also developed for various difficulty levels, thus allowing one to describe a broad range of achievement patterns. The items selected for this enclosure might be viewed as important basic skills items -- tasks that a relatively high percent of l3-year-olds should be able to success- fully perform. The math items shown are all computational skill items. The reading items measure understanding word meanings and the use of graphic and reference materials. The writing items measure students' ability to write in response to a wide range of societal demands, i.e. addressing an envelope, listen- ing to a telephone conversation and writing a short note and writing a letter to the Parents' Club. PAGENO="0211" 207 MATHEMATICS 1. Do the following problems: A. Add: B. Subtract: 38 36 +19 -19 C. Multiply: D. Divide: 38 5[T~~ X9 2. Add the following numbers: $ 3.06 10.00 9.14 5.10 3. Do the following subtraction: 1,054 - 865 4. A rocket was directed at a target 525 miles south of its launching point. It landed 624 miles south of the launching point. By how many miles did it miss its target? ANSWER ___________________ PAGENO="0212" 208 READING 1. People who run zoos sometimes put signs on animal cages to tell what the animals are like or where they come from. If you went to a zoo and saw these four signs on different cages, which one would tell you that there s a dangerous animal inside the cage? Fill in the oval beside the correct sign. c~ i don't know. cD Inside this cage is one of the smallest animals found in America. Inside this cage is an extremely ferocious animal. Inside this cage is an animal that sleeps all the time. Inside this cage is a rare type of eagle -- one of the few left in the world. 2 PAGENO="0213" 209 2. Read the sentence and fill in the oval beside the group of words which tells what the sentence means. "I certainly won't miss that movie." ~D I like that movie. ~ I'm going to that movie. ~D I'm not going to that movie. ~D I hope I'll see that movie, but I don't know if I can. ~J I didn't see that movie, although it was here all fall. ~D I don't know. 3. Look at the labels from two cans of dog food. One can has more protein in it than the other. Fill in the oval below the dog food that contains more protein. Ash 3% Crude fiber 17% Crude protein 65% Crude fat 11% Moisture 4% Vitamin E trace PREMIUM DOG FOOD A Beef Product Ash 2% Crude fiber 45% Crude protein 20% Crude fat 30% Moisture 3% Vitamin E trace HEARTY DOG FOOD A Balanced Meal `ZD I don't know. 3 PAGENO="0214" 210 4. Read the passage and answer the question which follows it. Helen Keller was born in 1880 in Tuscumbia, Alabama. When she was two years~old, she lost her sight and hearing as the result of an illness. In 1886 she became the pupil of Anne Sullivan, who taught Helen to "see' with her fingertips, to "hear" with her feet and hands, and to communicate with other people. Miss Sullivan succeeded in arousing Helen's curiosity and interest by spelling the names of objects into her hand. At the end of three years Helen had mastered both the manual and the braille alphabet. and could read and write. When did Helen Keller lose her sight and hearing? ZD 1880 cD 1882 `ZD 1886 G~ 1890 ~D 1900 ~D I don't know. 4 PAGENO="0215" 211 5. Read the question and fill in the oval beside the correct answer. If you had to tell your class about windmills, which of these would be the BEST book to use? ~ An atlas c A dictionary c~ An encyclopedia ~D The Yellow Pages in the telephone book. ~D I don't know. 5 PAGENO="0216" 212 WRITING 1. Pretend that your name is Dale Roberts and you live at 1545 Lake Street in Narka, Kansas. The zip code for Narka, Kansas, is 66960. You have written a letter to John Way. He lives at 345 Moose Street, Nome, Alaska. The zip code for Nome, Alaska is 99762. Address the envelope below. Make sure you write down everything that should go on the envelope. ~L~c 6 PAGENO="0217" 213 2. You are going to hear a telephone conversation between two boys, Sam and Al. During the conversation, you will discover that Al is going to have to write a note to another boy, Fred. Listen carefully to find out the things that Al will have to say in his note. (NOW LISTEN TO THE CONVERSATION) You will now have another chance to hear the conversation between Sam and Al. Listen to it carefully again and then, when the boys have finished talking, write the note that you think Al should write to Fred. (NOW LISTEN TO THE PHONE CONVERSATION AGAIN) 7 PAGENO="0218" 214 3. Imagine the Parents' Club of your school is sponsoring a Friday evening dance for the eighth grade. The dance hours are from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Many students feel this is not long enough. Pretend you are Pat Smith and write a letter to the Parents' Club stating your point of view. Explain why you AGREE or DISAGREE with the idea of a dance from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Remember to take only ONE point of view. Space is provided below and on the next two pages. 8 PAGENO="0219" 215 4. Pat Brown has been asked by his class to invite Mr. Jones to come and speak about safety. Look atthe three invitations below. Fill in the oval beside the invitation which is BEST. Dear Mr. Jones, Our school would appreciate your speaking to us about safety at 9:30 a.rn. next Tuesday, January 3, at Rayburn School. If you are free at this time, please accept our invitation. Sincerely, Pat Brown Dear Mr. Jones, I'm supposed to find out if you can speak to us at Rayburn next Tuesday, January 3 at 9:30? Please accept this. Sincerely, Pat Brown Dear Mr. Jones, Our school would like for you to speak to us about safety. Is that okay with you. We could have you on Tuesday of next week, and you could talk in our auditorium. Yours Truly, Pat Brown C~ I don't know. 9 PAGENO="0220" 216 NATIONAL ASSESSMENT RESULTS (Percent Correct for 13-Year-Olds) Region of the Country Nation Northeast Southeast Central 94.3 95.5 93.0 94.5 88.9 92.1 87.8 90.0 82.6 * 85.7 78.4 85.8 88.5 91.8 85.3 90.6 84.3 88.6 79.3 88.5 80.0 83.4 75.3 82.0 71.7 78.7 62.5 75.8 Mathematics Item 1-Part A Part B Part C Part 0 Item 2 Item 3 Item 4 Readi~g Item 1 Item 2 Item 3 Item 4 Item 5 Writ~g Item 1 Return Name Return Address Return City Name Address City, State, Zip All six parts correct West 94.1 85.5 79.7 ~35. 7 78.8 78.6 67.9 96.1 73.5 82.3 84.2 87.4 94.3 91.3 90.6 94.5 92.4 91.1 95.8 76.1 80.5 84.1 89.5 92. 9 91.6 90.4 93.7 92.6 90.9 87.2 74.9 74.8 80.5 84.7 72.6 81.8 84.5 77.9 89.2 89.8 89.3 91.4 91.1 92.4 90.5 94.3 94.1 91.7 * ~ 91.9 88.5 87.7 90.0 89.7 88.0 94.1 93.4 92.0 95.3 93.6 92.1 88.2 83.4 88.5 88.0 10 PAGENO="0221" 217 Region of the Country Writing, cont'd. Nation Northeast Southeast Central West Item 2 Note mentions game 83.3 84.8 79.2 83.9 84.2 Note mentions time 59.8 64.4 50.7 63.6 57.8 Note mentions place 24.1 27.7 21.8 20.7 25.5 Note mentions all three 19.2 21.7 16.4 16.4 21.6 Item 3 Unclear and unel aborated position 12.0 13.0 10.0 11.7 12.8 Clear but unel aborated position 22.8 23.6 24.8 24.3 18.2 Persuasive arguments and/or elaboration of position 60.6 59.3 57.2 61.3 69.2 Other 4.2 3.7 7.7 2.1 4.4 Item 4 86.3 83.5 84.1 87.7 89.6 NOTE: In addition to national and regional results, National Assessment also reports by sex, race, level of parental education and size and type of community. 11 PAGENO="0222" 218 Enclosure #4 A National Test: Considerations Note: Senator Pell, Chairman, Subcon:mittee on Education, Arts and Humanities, conducted hearings on July 27, 1977, on the Quaj~y of Education-Testing, 1977. One of the things Senator Pell was interested in was obtaining information about the need for and nature of an optional national test in reading, writing and compu- tation. At the conclusion of the hearings, Senator Pell requested that the witnesses, Dr. Roy Forbes, Director of National Assess- ment of Educational Progress, and Dr. William Turnbull, President, Educational Testing Service, provide him with their thoughts "of what such an optional test should be" and what things should be con- sidered in developing the test. This paper is National Assessment's response to Senator Pell's request. Two testing models are pro- posed which are designed to meet the needs delineated by Senator Pell and which could operate within the framework of the constitutional responsibilities of states for providing equal education opportunities to all students. PAGENO="0223" 219 Three major political points emerge when discussing the development of a national test of achievement in reading, writing, and computation. They are: 1) Should the test be developed under direct control of the Federal government, i. e., should the government determine the content of the test? 2) Should test-related standards be established? If so, by whom? 3) Should administration of the test in a state or local school district be voluntary or mandated by the Federal government? These points were discussed extensively in the mid-sixties by groups of distinguished educators and government officials during the planning of the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The answers determined by those educators shaped the assessment's design. The answers remain the same today. Educators in the mid-sixties assumed the content and results of the assessment would reflect and have impact on the curriculum. In other words, reporting how well students performed on specific items would lead to more or less attention on certain curricular aspects. The assessment's potential impact on curricular aspects was not the primary concern, as this would be desirable. Potential control of the content of the assessment by the Federal government, however, was a concern. This remains a concern today. The design of the assessment assured that this would not happen. Although financially supported by the Federal government through the National Center for PAGENO="0224" 220 Education Statistics (NCES), the assessment is governed by a policy committee appointed by the Education Commission of the States. NCES does not dictate or approve the content of an assessment. Content is determined through a nationwide consensus process. The consensus process is accomplished by bringing together teachers, parents, administrators, and curriculum specialists to develop the con- tent of each assessment. The designers of National Assessment determined that static national standards, as opposed to standards based on progress, were not desirable. They based this conclusion on several points, three of which were: 1) Constitutionally, education is the prerogative of the states and the establishment of national educational standards would be an intrusion on this right and responsibility. 2) Static, minimum standards could lead to a lowering of educational expectations. 3) Standards could lead to indirect control of the curriculum. Therefore, National Assessment was designed to provide information which could be related to standards set locally in terms of general goals for progress. National A ssessment was designed to test and report on the knowledge, skills and attitudes of 9, 13, and 17-year-old students as well as young adults, ages 26-35. The primary purpose of the assessment was to measure changes in student achieve- ment over time so that educators and government officials would know what progress was being achieved in reaching nationally accepted educational goals. The assess- ment was designed also to report the identity of groups of individuals .in need of PAGENO="0225" 221 special consideration if all students were to receive an equal education and be given the opportunity to realize their full potential. The designers concluded that the assessment should not be mandated but should be voluntary, i. e., school systems should not be required to participate. The constitutional responsibilities of the states and the potential of indirect curriculum control were the basis for this decision. Lately, mandated testing requirements have increased and are adversely affecting the school voluntary co- operation rate. It may become necessary to request that current voluntary programs also be mandated. The issue of test-purpose is another major consideration in the design and developmental process of an assessment. Different purposes call for different types of tests as well as different test administration procedures. For example, tests may be used to diagnose knowledge and skill levels of an individual student, or to provide group data for local, state or Federal policy decision-making. Information for policy decision-making does not require that every student be tested or that all students tested need necessarily respond to the same set of ques- tions. Therefore, testing for decision-making purposes can and should incorporate certain economies pertaining to fiscal resources and student instructional time while providing an abundance of information, For example, National Assessment requires one classroom period of student time to respond to the assessment. Each student responds to a sample of the questions. If a student responded to all ques- tions contained in an assessment, an additional eight hours would be required. The savings in student time and financial resources are great. 95-038 0 - 77 - 15 PAGENO="0226" 222 National Assessment items do not constitute a diagnostic test. If the purpose of testing is to determine achievement deficiencies or strengths of an individual student at one point in time, standardized tests, as well as state and locally de- veloped tests, are available. The designers of National Assessment recognized the various purposes of testing and decided the purpose of a national assessment should be to provide infor- mation useful for policy decision-making. Model A (subsequently presented) is recommended if the purpose of a national test in reading, writing, and computation is to provide information for Federal and state level decision-making. If the purpose is to identify individual student de- ficiencies, then National Assessment does not recommend a national test but a continuation of the current practice by state/local education agencies of selecting commercially available tests or of developing tailor-made tests. It is further recommended that attempts be intensified to develop statistics for comparing test scores from various standardized tests, e. g., The Anchor Study. Model B (subsequently presented) describes how National Assessment is re- sponding currently to state and local education agencies who are interested in developing tests and having national/regional comparative data. Suggestions for expanding/improving the current services are included. PAGENO="0227" 223 MODEL A A national test of reading, writing, and computation should assess what students should know and be able to do. Statements (objectives) of desirable knowledge and skills should be developed using a national consensus approach. Teachers, school administrators, parents and interested lay persons should par- ticipate with curriculum specialists in the consensus process. Each objective should address a specific area of knowledge, skill or attitude, but no attempt should be made to specify how many objectives should be success- fully met by an individual ~tudent for that student to be judged minimally competent in reading, writing, and computation. The setting of standards should be the pre- rogative of state or local education agencies. This model would provide national and regional data which could be used as comparative reference points by state and local agencies. Multiple items should be developed to measure each objective. The items should be reviewed for possible cultural bias and field tested thoroughly. The selection of items to be included in the national test should follow the same consensus process used in the development of objectives. The test should be administered to a national sample of students to provide a national yardstick which could be used by Federal education policy-makers. The test should be administered by a non-government agency. To protect the security of the test and provide uniformity of test administration, state and local school personnel should not have the responsibility for test administration. PAGENO="0228" 224 States should have the option of having the national sample within their state expanded to provide state level data. The cost of the expanded sample could be jointly shared by the Federal and state governments. States opting to expand the sample within their state would be able to use the national data as a yardstick for a comparison between national and state datn. To insure test security and uniformity of administration, the same independent agency collecting and reporting national data or a network of independent agencies should conduct these concurrent and expanded state testing programs. Local education agencies also should be provided with the expanded sample option. The cost of testing could be shared jointly by the Federal government and the local district. Analyses and reporting should be the responsibility of an inde- pendent agency(ies), but not necessarily the agency involved in national and state testing. The design of Model A is based on a proven approach for providing national yard- stick data, that is, the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Therefore, the model could be implemented with minimal difficulty. Several current activities would need to be expanded while only two new activities would need to he initiated. The new activities are: * 1) Develop and implement procedures for working with state and local agencies who opt to participate in the expanded testing program. 2) Develop and implement procedures for working with other independent agencies involved in the collection and reporting of national test data. PAGENO="0229" 225 The expanded activities are: 1) Develop an objective and item pool designed specifically for the national test purposes. Many of the objectives and items which would probably comprise this pool are currently available through National Assessment and state assessment programs. 2) Select objectives and items for the national test using a national consensus approach. 3) Administer, analyze, and report national and regional test results. 4) Provide technical assistance to state and local agencies interested in using the national test data as a comparative yardstick. Concise, self-explanatory documentation would need to be prepared as a means of providing a cost-efficient process for technical assistance. PAGENO="0230" 226 MODEL B National Assessment currently has available 1,780 objective related items which may be used by state and local education agencies interested in developing tests tailored to their unique needs. National and regional performance data, as well as information pertaining to administration and scoring, are available for each Item. Objective booklets are available for reading, writing, mathematics, science, social studies, citizenship, literature, art, music, and career and occupational development. National Assessment also has available documentation of procedures for those systems interested in replicating the procedure used in the national assessment. Close replication provides those systems with data which can be compared more accurately with national and regional results. By using items provided through National Assessment, it is possible for a local or state education agency to collect data and use the national or regional data as a comparative yardstick. The items can be used in developing tests for either diag- nostic or policy purposes. The current National Assessment service could be expanded by: 1) Developing, through a national consensus approach, a specific pool of objectives and related items in reading, writing, and computation for use by state or local education agencies in test development. PAGENO="0231" 227 2) Collecting and reporting national and regional data on items in the pool described above to provide state and local education agencies with a yardstick. 3) Providing state and local education agencies with increased technical assistance in how to most efficiently and effectively use the objectives, Items, data, and methods available through National A ssessment. PAGENO="0232" 228 BLOOMI NGTON WRITING ASSESSMENT 1977 ~: ~ PLJ~LIC 5C~~LS I) Fred M. Atkinson Orville Ruud Superintendent of Schools Data Processing - Evaluation 10025 Per~n Avenue South B!oomington, M~nno~ota 55431 PAGENO="0233" 229 -rJ~ ~ ~ ~k ~ē, ~ ~ ~ ~ D/E~ £4 ~ A~4'~ i~ _a~ZX~j ~ ~ ~ /~ _`~`v.4~, ~ t~ 4~~- ~ ~` C~J k ~y~t ~ f~m~Q ~ ~ s~Q. ~ .~ SCORING 10/lOu Spelling Errors No End mark Errors 3/104 Usage Errors 1/11 Punctuation Errors No Capitalization Errors EXERCISE EXAMPLE / ~ ~. ~ On page 4 is a picture of a kangaroo in Austral ia. Look at the picture for a while. What do you think is happening? Where do you suppose the kangaroo came from? Where do you think he is going? Lock how high he.jumps! Why do you suppose he is jumping over the fence? Write a story about what is happening in the picture. PAGENO="0234" 230 SAMPLE RESULTS S-Spelling Errors K-Word Choice Errors per word per word More Less More Less than than than than 4% 4%-~% 1% £~ 4%-l% 1% SAMPLE CONCLUSION Capitalization and word choice in context are strengths for Bloomington students. Student performance In spelling, whim not meeting the rigorous staff-citizen standards, does compare well with that of National 9-year-clds. Lessons for such spelling improve- ment should be writing assignmonts rather than word lists. C-Capitalization errors per word More Less than than 2% 2%-~% ~% Bloomington 4th *Grade 62% 30% 8% 8% 22% 70% 16% 24% 6l~ Staff-citizens Standard Minimum 35% 55% 10% 30% 50% 20% 50% 45% 5~ Desired 25% 60% 5% 20% 55~ 25% 25% 60% 15% S-Spelling K-Word Choice Errors Errors Errors Errors / / / / - Essay 100 wds. Essay 100 wds Bloomington - 4th Grade 5.0 6.3 .8 1.0 National 9-year-olds 4.1 8.4 .5 1.0 SAMPLE ANALYSIS TRAIT JUDGEMENT National Standards Overall Spelling Strength Need Probable Need Word Choice Acceptable Strength Strength Capitalization Not Applicable Strength Strength PAGENO="0235" 231 DESCRIBE GOALS AND TESTING CONSTRAINTS WHAT IS WRITING? A writing 5teering committee clearlY described "what is wri from the ~~0omington ___________________________________ WRITING ASSESSMENT TASK FORCE June 1976 ,,Def?nition of Writing and Writing Assessment. WHAT IS WRITiNG? Writing is the recording and preserving of language and the transmission of ideas. Writing is subject to certain organizational and mechanical con- ventions. Although writing purposes differ, all writing situations presuppose the existence of a message and an audience, and all must be evaluated in terms of their appropriateness in those situations. The different purposes for which one writes -- recording information; responding to a situation established for the writer; expressing a personal observation (for either oneself or another); or attempting to persuade the reader to do or believe something -- share some attributes to qualify as accoptable, but also have distinctive attributes related to their pusposes. PRIMARY WRITING TRAITS The recordina of information (lists, instructions, directions, proposals, minutes, etcetera) must be clear, coherent, and complete. Responding (answering a test item; completing a questionnaire; writing an assigned paragraph of comparison, etcetera) must be appropriate for the situation established. That is, the writing must be well enough organized, developed, and expressed to satisfy the expectations established in the situation. Expressive writing must be true to its intention. For example, if a poem attempts to recreate an emotional experience, it must do so to a degree that enables different readers tą feel they have experienced the situation as the writer intended it to be perceived. Persuasive writing must have sufficient cogent and relevant data, ex- pressed in a tone appropriate for the audience for which it is intended. SECONDARY TRAITS Mechanical accuracy includes such language skills as paragraphing, sentence structure, capitalization, punctuation, spelling, word usage, and agreement. Mechanical accuracy should be measured in terms of these skills. TESTING CONSTRAINTS The steering committee prescribed constraints and expectations to be observed by a task force in designing the tests. These included: Constraiflts - 1e5 minutes of testing time - One test experience per/pupil per class - National exercises should be used - The test situation should approximate the general writing environment. ed by teachers. - The test should be able to be administer ExpectatiOfls - Growth between 4, 8, 11 will be measured in overlap exercises (some exercises identical). - Exercises must have a field test. - A test ~ her use. PAGENO="0236" A writing evaluation task force selected appropriate released exercises from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and organized them in this manner into test booklets. I-RECORDING I-RESPONDING Ill-EXPRESSION V-PERSUASION V-MECHANICS TELEPHONE *201014-400 (Packet A) TELEPHONE *201 018-031 (Packet D,B) ACCIDENT REPORT B-Ol -481 (Packet A,C,C) THANK YO(1,~LETTER 201 0O2-'(~1J (Packet `b,D,D) ADDRESS ENVELOPE 201021 -480 (Packet C,E) JOB LETTER 20201 3-001 (Packet C) LETTER TO CLASSMATE 20 1017-481 (Packet E,A,B) MUSIC ***l 01003-081 (Packet D,B) TENNIS S ES lOlOl3-4~ (Packet ,B,A) MOON REPORT **2O300B-48O (Packet C,C) PARENT'~ QLUB. 201004 -{~(j1 (Packet B,E.C) WOMANS PLACE 203014 -481 (Packet E,E,B) KANGAROO 10213-400 (Packet A,BtE) FAMOUS BUILDIN 203012-081 (Packet A&B At 201002 Indicates that this is item number 201002 from the National Assessment. Indicates the item was not assessed nationally for 8th grade or 11th grade but was used in grades 4, 8, and 11. (Packet D,D,D) Indicates this item was in packet 0 grade 4, packet D grade 8, and packet 0 grade II. * A test packet had two to four items and could be completed in about 45 minutes of testing. * Uses telephone ąonversation on tape. ** Uses blue pens for a student editing and revision 2 232 SELECT NAEP ITEMS AND DESIGN THE TEST I Ecixatx'~ c ovisssw o( the States L ~ __ PAGENO="0237" 233 TEST, SCORE, AND SET STANDARDS TESTING Every 4th, 8th, and 11th grade pupil participated in the writing assessment. A sample of 294 grade 4 pupil tests, 383 grade 8 pupil tests, and 418 grade 11 pupil tests were randomly st~lected for scoring. SCORING na Mullis, NAEP and Sue Worthan trained Orville Ruud and Rosemary Schneiderhan in NAEP scoring and scorer training procedures. Scorers in Bloom- ington were trained by Orville Ruud and Rosemary Schneiderhan. The scorers scored training exercises, and worked in pairs to score all tests. The scoring of every 5th tmst was reviewed by Orville Ruud. PAGENO="0238" 4 234 ANALYZE AND REPORT RESULTS A citizen-staff committee analyzed the results and wrote recommendations. I. Strengths and Needs The citizen-staff committee reviewed the preliminary report of student achievement, national achievement, and performance standards. They made judgements of strengths and needs from these resul ts. II. Issues, Concerns and Recommendations Data, issues and recom- mendations were described following the identification of strengths and needs. ANALYSIS AND REPORTING NORKSIIEET, ISSUE SOURCE EVALUATION CRITERIA OR BASIS FOR JUDGEMENT Original Data Source: Additions Data Source: RECOMMENDATIONS III. Reporting A comprehensive repor `and a concise executive summary is to be presented to the staff and to the school board in September. The community will receive the report through news media and school district newsletters. The writing assessment recommendations suggest action. This will happen in Bloomington through a review of writing curricuium by the District Curriculum Committee. Building principals will consider evaluation of their writing programs and a review of their emphasis on writing. NEXT PAGENO="0239" 235 PERSONS AND GROUPS WHO ACCOMPLISHED THIS WRITING ASSESSMENT Design of the Writing Evaluation Writing Assessment Steering Committee Dr. Patricia DahI RV Ms. Donna Duffy OL Ms. Marcia Fridland LN Mr. Donald Hegg PT Mr. Earl Lyons JF Advisors Ms. Cornelia Nachbar JF Mr. William Sullivan OG Ms. Marion VanHaur KN Ms. MarIlyn Vincent W - Dr. Don Sension - Hopkins Schools Mr. Charles Caruson - Hopkins Schools Dr. Orville Ruud - Bloomington Schools Selection and Writino of the Itemc Writing Assessment Task Force Ms. Michaela Hines PB Ms. Elizabeth Bruggemeyer PN Mr. James Colwell JF Advisors Dr. Rosemary Schneiderhan MN Dept. of Education Administration of Writing Tests Mr. William Sullivan OG Ms. Marilyn Vincent WW Ms. Marilyn Wilhelm LN Dr. Vernon Achtermann, NAEP Ms. Ina Mullis, NAEP Grade L4 Teachers Grade 8 Language Arts Teachers Grade II Language Arts Teachers Scoring and Processing Test Scorers Ms. Carla Roth Ms. Marceline DavIdson Advisors Ms. ma Mullis, NAEP Ms. Susan Worthan MRC Analysis and Reporting Mr. Waldo Asp Ms. Jeanne Muss Ms. Arlene Bush Ms. Charles DeCorsey Ms. Richard Helmberger Ms. Judy Anderson Ms. John Nauman Ms. Mary Sullivan Ms. Helen Gonzalez Dr. James Lindsay TIES Mr. Tom Allen TIES Ms. Marilyn Wilhelm Ms. Marion VanHaur Ms. Cornelia Nachbar Dr. Patricia Dahl Ms. Marilyn Vincent Mr. William Sullivan Ms. Donna Duffy Mr. Donald 4egg Ms. Elizabeth Bruggemeyer PAGENO="0240" ~P NEWSLETTER NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS April 1977 No. 2 Taking a Hard Look Study Traces Achievement `Profiles' What do today's students knoss, - and what can they do? * 9'year-olds have learned many things in theie first fesv yeaes of schooling such as the basic eeading and writing skills. o l3-year-otds can ezad, weite, add, suhlract, divide and multiply - if told to do so. But they don't, by themselves, use these skills in order to sot se rveryday problems. * I ?-yeae-olds hove mastered the basic skills and know many specific facts in all school subjects, but they have difficulty organieing and ap- plying their skills and knosvledge. Tts ese ore some of the highlights from a study by National Assessment that summarizes results from all previous assessments to develop a profile of each age grostp. NAEP foond that 9-year-otds con rca simple stories and 0-rile tellers Ia their friends, and they knotvovcriely of subject-matter facts. They are tolerant of people's cultural differences and believe in on orderly society. Osee the last seven years, the reading and svriting skills of 9-year-otds hose improved. Paradox of the 13-year'old Thirteen-year-olds, according to the NAEP report, have the skills and knowledge necessary to accomplish rou- tine tasks at home and at school. They hove developed sum e study skills and know a sariety of uselul facts; however, the idea that they could use these skills and knowledge to make Itseir doily lives more interesting and productive is nut atuays obvious to them. The study found 13-year-old scan era d and understand slsort, straightforward materials and re- cognize the main idea of a relatively long reading passage. They also know hots- to use basic reference materials. "Compared to t3-year'olds at the turn of the century, the fact that today's 1 3-year-otds h ave such a variety of skills and knowledge could he considered qssite encouvs ging," said tna V. S. Mattlis, analyst with National Assessnsent. "Hots-' ever, I 3-year-olds, in general, do not reatiee the potential uses of the skills and facts they base teamed." Meanwhile, among 17-year-olds... Seventren-yzar-olds, according to the NAEP study, has-c some knowledge of the woeld of work, have thouglst about their futures and know wlsat attitudes and betsovt~oes are expected of tlsem in our society. They know a number of facts about our govern mcdl and legal system and knuwanu mher of specific scievtific facts. They have difficulty reading long pa.ssagesa nd have limited vocabularies in sveiting. "Seventeen-year-otdscanre ad, write anal compute in well-structured tituo- lions." said Don Phillips, NAEP analyst, °bxt~they save difficulty applying their knosvledge to new situations. They don't do well on peoblenas that require wore one step and can't organize their thoughts in writing. Indications ate that h?-yeae'olds' knowledge levels have slipped stighstly user the post seven years." he added. "To summarize svhat 9-, 13- and I ?-year.olds k nosy and can do, se identified questions answered correctly (enntinued no page 2) 236 Education Commission of the States Vol. X PAGENO="0241" `Profile of Three Ages' 237 April 1977 National Assessment Taking a Look at Student Achievement (continued from page 1) by more than two-thirds of the students, questions answered by some (appeoxi' matety 33-67%) and questions answered coerce t15' by very few (tess than, one- third) of the student sin each age group," Susan Otdefendt, NAEP analyst, said. According to this breakdown: Many 9-year-otds can: - Telt time. - Add two-digit numbers. - Telt the difference between even and odd numbers. - Name the President and generalty know how he is chosen. - Read and comprehend literal facts in simpte, brief stories. - Write without making punctuation or word choice errors. But few 9-yeae-otds: - Can subtract three- and four-digit - Can do nsaltiplication and division or understand fractions. - Know the head of a state is catted a - Understand detailed written in- Can organize and elaborate ideas in writing. Many t3-year-olds: - Can add, subtract, multiply and divide wlsote numbers. - Can snake change. - Understand basic facts about the solar system and universe. - Know the functianv of the major parts of the body. - ttave had paying jobs. - Understand the basic furtclionv of the court syvtew. -Knosvhowtanvebasicreforrnco Some I 3-year-oldv: - Understand and compute with fractions and work word problems. - Can manipulate algebraic evprev- Understand basic nutrition. Understand specific facts about the earth. - Can read and understand detailed But few t3-yrar-olds: - Can organize and elaborate on ideas in writing. - Understand the structure and func- tion of the legislative branch of Understand the bavic principles of Many 17-year-aids: Can add, subtract, multiply and divide whote numbers and decimals. - Can multiply fractions. - Can calculate a vimpl eaverage. - Can solve simple ward problems requiring multiplication. - Can evaluate simple algebraic en- - Know the names of the particles that make up an atom, - Understand some facts about nutri- tion, illness and disease. - Understand some functions and limits of lb eeveculive and judicial branches of government. - Can read `and understand short, straightforward materials such as newspaper ads and telephone bills. - Can read and understand direclionv and instructions. - Have mustered tlte mechanics of writing. Some 17-year-aIds: - Know about human reproduction. - C an convert drcimalv to coosmon fractions. - Can add fractions. - Can organize and elaborate ideas in vvriling. - Can make inferences after re adiog a long paragraph. But fm I 7-year-oldn: - Can calculate the area of avqaare Rhode Island may he short on space, but it's long on vision when it comes to concern (or the education of its youth. Active in education avsevvment for more lbunadeca dr the slate last year made vowe innovative departures from methods used in earlier evaluations. For the first tiwe, I 7-year-oldv were added to asvevvnient efforts that had previouvly been limited to fourth- and eighth-graders. In addition, the older teenagees were asvesved by NAEP-lype "criterion-referenced" tests, vvhich meav- use skills according to objectives predeter- mined by Rhode Island educators, The two younger age levelv continue to be assessed by standardized tests Ilsat deter- mine compelencies that are expec led by grade levels. Sampling the whole Another new angle for Rhode Island given its perimeler. - Can simplify algebraic expressions. - C an convert Fahrenheit to Centi- grade given lbe conversion formula. - Know Ilse functions of the legisla- live branch of government. - Know why a large amount of mineral fertilizer placed around a plant svill cause it to wilt and die. - Have discussed aptitude test results with anyone who could advise them abosst career plans, - Can write excellent unified and focused essays. "Even though most l7-year-otds feel they are good readers," said Roy H. Forbes, director of Nalional Assessment, "only half are able to read college freslsman-lerel materials. They all believe in social equality and changing unfair, laws, but again only half take part in school politics. A nagging doubt about l7-year-olds," Forbes added, "is wlselher or nul they lake the time to relate their ideas and concepts to adult life." A limited supply of Il'hat SrtadenrsKnow and Can Do, I's-afilen of Three .-lge Groups is available from National Assess- ment headquarters, Suite 700, 1860 Lincoln St., Denver, CoIn. 80295. assess went is the ssviiclt In a probability sawpliog of students, sssch as is used in National Assessment sssrveys, instead of testing all students in a particular grade! age Iced. Prior to last year's asvevswent, Rhode Island surveyed all fourth- and eighth-grade psspils Ibroughout rIse slate. Also neu' last year were slssdent and school questionnaires that covered topics ranging from howe environment and spare-lime activities to parents' jobs and involvement with their children's sclsool work, the youths' own fat sire xc hooting and career aspirations and characteristics of each student's school. The resull: a data package filled svith new' types of information never before available to state education policy makers and the public. The combination of standardized and criterion-referenced testing, plus the cow- (continued on page 5) Page 2 Innovations Expand Horizons of Rhode Island Assessment Plans 05-033 0 - 77 - 15 PAGENO="0242" Notional A ssessnte ntis about to under- take its our exercise in systematic cum- Far from the usuat NAEP "exerc ot test item, in this case ttte effort means the study of hose the three hifhty tech- sticut fietds of ntedicine, africulture and economics have beidfed the gap between the collection of data, the subsequent refinement of policies dnd procedures and, finally, the development of practices based on the original data. Can lb ear tame intricate principles of data input and systematic output of information, which lead to informed de- cisions, hr applied to the specialieed area of education assesxnten t? Ford Foandation award To help find out, the Ford Foundation has asvarded a frant of approsimately $25,000 to National Assessment. Durinf the nest few months, consult- ants in lb carrot of africullare, nsedicine and economics wilt share their expertise with a National Atressmrnl researcher. Resattin ~ case sladies will alloys a scien- tific sieve of the flow of information that threads llaroufh each disciplinc"s varioats stages of research. organiealico. refine- ment and dissenrination. Next comes the pinpointing of and dissimilar data collection and data use that are already standard prac- tice in the three "nrodel" fields anal that could he adapted for use by liar edaca' lion contmunity. Finding the common bond The attalytic phases of the project will cttlnsinate ssith a set of reco ntntendations strut sheutd help span rIte chasm between education assessment progrants. educa- tors, decision makers and the pulrlic. Says NAEP Director Roy H. Forbes. "Edttcation assessment technology has the tools to collect data liar education needs and the public ssants. Unless sac sonsehow effectively contnsun icale these findings, education assessment trogrants will continue to fattser information that ix underotilicect. "Through this new research by Nation- al Assessment, we hope to systematically find solutions to reverse that situation," Ite concluded. National Assessment 238 April 1977 Bridging the Gap Grant to Aid Data Flow Study Pate 3 Details Listed For Reports Three new NAEP report tare avad. able Prom the Sstprrirtendent of Docu- ments, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402: * Right to Read - Fsancrional Literacy: Basic Reading Perforenance, Brief Summary and Higltlig/tls, S/N 0t7.S80.St665.6, $1.25. o Explanatory and Perssaasia'e Let' rer Writing (selected results from the second national assessment of writing), NAEP Report No. OGW-03, S/N 017-080-01666-4,90 cents. * An A atestrrtent of Career Deed' opment: Bane tt'ork Skills (selected results from the first national ~assess- nsert of career and occupational devel- opntent(, NAEP Report No. 05-COD. 02, S/N 0t7-080-0t687-7, OttO. All orders must include report titles, numbers and serial numbers (S/N) and check or money order. Atlaw up to right weeks foe delivery. An updated NAEP publications list may be obtained from National Assess- ment offices, Suite 700, 1860 Lincoln St., Denver, Coto. 80295. THIRD WRITING SURVEY gete otter tine of Edaaard White, tighl, professat at Englith at California State Caltoge, San Ottratdino, and, at left, Martin Nystrand, ditentot at the Largaago Attn Assesssrrert Ptajent, Ontario (Caradal Irstitnee toe Stadios in Edacatior. The lana ate amnng key ligates aiding in dnaelopmerl at 1979 assessment. Findings antI irdirate hoar Ame6rat yoaths' eatitirg skills hone laced sirre pteaiaae assessmetts in 1970 and 1974. MATHEMATICS litetary asettertiae soy to enpard oppoctanitmes tot miros'itiat ard onoarrer is a top mmcm at Lacy W. Salle, ennrnt,ae epesiahist far the American Smintogical Association, Washitgton, D.C. Stan shared idnas on recent nisit with Datald T. Seaths, NAEP associate ddtfirtnr tar Statistical Methods. ~27 PAGENO="0243" 239 Page 4 April 1977 National Atsessment Downbeat on Second Music Survey The tempo is picking up as National Assessment readies for its second survey of music. To be gicen during the 1978-79 school year, the assessment will include items measuring both music altitudes and achievements of U.S. students at ages 9, 13 and 17. Pictured henc ore four espeels from among many of the nation's top music educators who have been involved in determin- ing precisely what the new NAEP music study should assess. - - - Paul L~heiae, profmsor of eu~ir, UeieCrsify of Miehigae. Eoeire Boai-dseae, profeseor of snake, Uniuersify of Wisnoesin. PAGENO="0244" Declines in science knowledge, as en- parted by Natinnal Assessmenl, were detailed at the 143rd annual meeting of the American Association foe the Ad- sance meet of Science. Nearly 5,000 AAAS members were in Denvee to ex- plore "Science and Change: Hopes and Dilemmas" during the week-long Febrc- aey conference. At the symposium "Public Knowledge of Science - NAEP," Robed C. Larson, director of the NAEP Department of Analysis and Research, outlined achieve- ment trends detected in NAEP assest- ments of science, as well as in reading and writing. He linked the three discipliner, he said, "because despite the declines of a gonerstion of 13- and 17-year-aIds ,n science, the improvement in 9-year-olds in reading and in writing could signal an increase in achievement level sin set~ence." (See Larson's "Percentages - - . and Other Points" column, page 7, foe additional symposium remarks.) Words of warning A strong warning caine from a second speaker, Marie D. Eldnidge, administrator of the National Center foe Education Statistics, which funds National Assess- "Declines in science achievement are Fourth- and eighth-graders continue to be tested as before in language, mathematics, reading and work-study skills. The 17-year-aIds, hosvevee, are being assessed in three cognitive "life skills" - comprehension, analysis and evaluation - again by means of criterion-referenced tests. State department of education plans call for phasing eighth-grade pupils into the life skills assessment during the next two years. Results from the current statencide study ace expected to be eeleased in October. Findings from last year's state assess- ment havespurre d Rhode Island educa- tors to seek means to correct faults pinpointed by survey data, as svell as ways to maintain strersgths. Says Janice M. Baker, acting coordinator of Support (continued on page 6) real and pervasive," she declared. "It is hoped that lb e cureent NAEP data and those that will be available in lbe near future will alert policy makers at all levels of government to problem areas, as well as to. areas or approaches worthy of furttsee study. "NAEP cannot peovide all the an- swers," she noted, "but it should be one of the leading indicators as to what kind of progress we are making in education iv the United States." Science courses: boring? Another symposium participant, Arthstr Livermore, who heads the AAAS office of science educa lion, said in a premeeting interview that schools aren't doing what they could to keep science from boring students who do not issiend to make science ttseir careers. A consult- ant to NAEP for development of science assess meat items, Liseemore feels that there is a lack of unified courses that weave alt the sciences together arcund interesting topics, such as energy. "It's rant enough to give nonsc ience students basic understandings of science," he said. "tf it's just a textbook course, it can be dull. A discovery approach, where students are encour aged to snlse prob- lems fur themselves, is better." The Natiunal A.ssessmeal symposium was sponsored by AAAS groups con- cerned with education, psychology, statis- tics, social and economic sciences and the history and philosophy of science. I 240 National Assessment April 1977 Page 5 Review Science Findings Decline Data Outlined at National Meeting CONCERN nuer dertiningsninnnn arhinnoennnt usgs reined by Marie D. Eldeidge, administrator of thn Nntinnat Center for Edunatinn Stasistirs, nhirh fords NAEP. Ohs nun a key spnnknt as symposium on scinrrn kroe,ledgn held during 143rd annual cnrfnrnrrn of thn American Assmintinn for den Adcunrnmnns of Sninnon. Rhode Island Adds New Bonus To Education Assessment Effoēt (continued from page 2) prehensice background questionnaire, was pilot-tested in the 1975-76 school year. Fourtla- and eighth-grade students acre tested primarily in reading, language, mathematics and svork-study skills. The survey of 17-year-old s covered eiglst learning areas: reading, mathemat- ics, science, svniling, citizenship, career and occupational development, health and consumer economics ("shopping with preparedness and rconomy"). Approxi- mately 30 peecer.t of the items given the 1 7-year-olds were from National Assess- ment, waking it possible for state educa- tors to compare the Rhode Island teen- agers' achievements with their national counterparts. New assassment under way Similar methods are being used in Rhode Island assessment this year. NAEP SYMPOSIUM teared rational achiest- mnnt tmnds far dnlngatnntn Dnnnnrrnnfnrnnm of Amnriran Annmiatinn for the Aduanonment of Srienre. Here, Robert C. Larson, dirnrtnr of National Ansessmenf Anal ysis and Rnsear,h Department, disnomes data rntlnrtnd in reading and writing surveys. PAGENO="0245" April 1977 National Assessment Experts in Major Role for Adult Study `Something Extra' Rhode Island Assessment Moves Ahead (continued from page 5) Services, Rhode stand Department of Education: "The prima~' focus for the data is poticy making. Findings are re ported to the state Booed of Regents for review and action. Poticy atternatives being naked at inctude three dealing mith basic shuts: in- creasing instractionat time, establishing minimal competency tevets and continu- ing the basic skills programs that hose ceo recently initiated." Other alterna tines, she said, deal o'ith espanding she Title I (compensatory edu- cation) approach to alt students, increas- ing parental interest in and support of siudenl achievement and facilitating more judicious use of tetesision foe children. "For the alternative or alternatives selected," Baker continued, "plans wilt be developed for implementation." Using the data "Additional use of the data wilt be encouraged through key state groups, such as school superintendents and the reading, mathematics and English teacher associalians, asssell as the stale Parens- Teacher Association," she esplained. Baker pointed out that the department of educalion prosides technical assistance to any Rhode Island group wanting so use lbe assessment data. National comparisons In comparing resutts of the 1975-76 stale assessment wish NAEP's findings in the same learning areas, it was found sisal Rhode Island 17-year-old s are aboce na- tional levels in several reading tasks and betosv in others. In mathemolics, she teenagers are more knowledgeable than their contemporaries naiionwide aboui the metric system and compare favorably in generat compulalion. They are belon- nationul performance in citieenship - especially in understanding she organiza- lion of federal and stale government - Standardieed tensing ressalls show shot Rhode Island fourlh-grade studenls gen- erally are as or abose lbrespected grade level in lb e areas assessed, while she eighth-graders are somewhat below. Pane 6 241 Noted consultants give fall allention 50 ossessmenl items dealing wish aware- ness of energy crisis and conservation prior to kickoff of NAEP's nsid-t977 survey of young adults. Nearly 1,500 young Americans, ages 26-35, will he involved in she study. YOUNG ADULT asses~mess coil enuar d,aarsn top:ns of enemy, healrts, of Woman Voters; Donald D. Duggan, nester photo, nhirf, Edanatinnal gnserra and mead,ng, ahr greatest no mbnr of tnpsns cue, ass mueyed by NAEP Programs Brannh, Offint of Pabtin Affairs, Energy Rasearnh and Danetop- a n,nulr year. Cnssuitantg ssnrk,ng as,th energy pon,on of attestmenr ment Acanniatirn; nod John M, lousier, dimetnr, Natinnal Science Teanhen hase minded tsabnlle Wrtanr, ttaff sprrialisn, Energy Oepamnnrest, League Astmintinn, all of Washingnon, DC, PAGENO="0246" National Assessment Australian Study Concern for youths' skills in the "theee R's" knosvs no geographic boun- daries - . . nor does Notional Assessment ashen it comes to helping measure those skitls. Latest esample: Austratia. That country recentty compteted a nationwide survey of the reading, writing and arithmetic abilities of 10- and t 4' yrar-olds in more than 600 schoots. About 7,000 students at each age teset were insotved. The report on findings from the Australian study "acknowledges . . . con- siderable debt to National Assessment" both in desetoping program objectives and use of several NAEP test items. Aimed at gauging competency in "lit- eracy and numeracy," the Australian assessment found that in reading skills there is no marked difference in perform- ance tevels in comparison with the stu- dents' contemporaries either in the United Staten or in Britain. However, deficiencies were noted in writing abilities. According to the report, a majority of both the 10- and 4-year- aIds are competent in simple writing sitsiationt. But, the report nays, some important and quite specific writing tasks, such as the writing of format letters to apply for jobs, "have not been mas- tered by large numbers of students." In numeration, 90 percent of the Austeatian tO-year-aIds are able to do simple catcutations with whole numbers on tasks that are particularly relevant and utefut in everyday tife. Performance of the t4-year-otds is "disturbing," the re- port notes, with targe numbers of the teenagers unabte to do simple catcula' tions. An even tower tevet of achievement was recorded for the otdre students in more complex math probtems. "The fact that Austratian 14-year-aIds perform no better than 13-year-otd students is the United States is . . - a matter of some concern," the report writers dectare. Public Knowledge of Achievement Trends By Robert Larson Daparsmors Dirrntnr The fotto,cisg a eotrartcd from a papw A&:oriotios for t5e Adcoece,seot of The basic National Assessment measure of progress is the change over time in the percent abte to respond correclty to an item. This measure is particutacty suited to providing infor- mation about the achievement of such nationat goats as: (1) increasing the number of disadvantaged children who can at least read for basic literal comprehension; (2) increasing the sci- ence titeracy of mote adults who uill vote on eve egy and conservation issues; (3) or increasing the number of t7-year-otds who know what they need to about constitutional eights, government and the political system is order to function as participating citi- ems in the future. Changes in percentages can make us aware of our progress toward goals like these and how far we have to go to reach them. Public knowledge of what the public known is an important step in creating a climate for legislators and other education policy makers to make wise decisions about ptansan In a national climate of concern about declining achievement test scotesc onfirmed by the declining sci- ence trends at ages 9, 13 and 17, we see some hope that we are making progress toward some national goats. Though equality of education oppor- tunity svas the main reason for the court-ordered desegregation in the Southeast, improvement in education outcomes is an important measure of progress toward the goals of the deseg- regation effort. The increase is average percen age correct on science and reading items far 9-year-old Southeast em blacks in the midst of generally declining trends is encouraging. A step forward Other rational goats arc re Sected in federal programs aimed at helping dis- advantaged children at the elementary school level. At age 9, the decline in the percen rage of poor essays and the decrease in gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged group s in science and reading indicate progress in meas- urable steps tossard these goals in the first half of the I 970s. Al the same time we have declines in outcomes for a generation of chit- - darn: a general decrease in science knowledge at all three ages, an increase in the percentage of poor essays at age 17, a decline in the higher.level infer- ential reading skills among children of well-educated parents at age 13 and 17, an increase in the reading gap between whites and blacks in regions other than the Southeast and the apparent large decrease in reading per- centages of races other than black or white outside the Southeast regiun. In a nation where citieens partici- pate in decisions regarding atomic energy plants, energy conservation, ba- sic research in genetics, etc., it is even more important that we become a science-literate public. For those disad- vantaged groups that historically base achieved lowest, it is important that more, not fewer, learn the reading and writing skills necessary to go to col- lege, learn a new job and be able to compete in chosen fields of work. An optimistic sign? We also see improvements in writ- ing and reading skills of most 9-year- aids that could signal an in crease in achievement levels in science and other areas that depend on these skills. We see Ihat the historically lowest-achiev- ing groups are catching up. On the other hand, svecann at ignore the possibility that these gaiss at age 9 may not be sustained at ages 13 and 17 and that the declines will continur. While the percentages ne re port tell us how facme have come an d how far we have to go in achieving there education goals, insightful analyses in- quiring about the mechanisms inflss- encing outcomes on a national scale are seeded to predict which of these possibilities is the most likely. Given Ike remarkable consistency of patterns of performance from year to year, assessment area to assessment area, among groups and between ages makes me optimistic about our future pros- pects in obtains goose ful description of education outcomes and national trends. 242 April 1977 Page 7 FE~EF~1TflE~ES and other Point: In Reference to... National Assessment data are drawn upon in a two-page article, "Func- tional Illiteracy is the United Stales," appearing in the 1977 Britannica Book of the Year, special supplement of the Encyclopedia Britannica, The feature, which scans findings from various nationwide studies that point to deficiencies in the education of U.S. youths, also includes Iwo sample eserc ises from a NAEP reading The article was written by George Weher, associate director of the Coun- cil for Basic Education. PAGENO="0247" Mosteller Resigns Frederick Mostetler, chairman of Na- tional Assessment's Analysis Advisory Committee (ANAC) foe more than three years, has resigned to devote more time to dali es as or a' head of the Department of Biostatistics, Schoot of Pablic Hratth, Harvard University. John Gilbert, staff statistician at Har- vard, ~000cr ds Mostetter as ANAC chair- man, and, as such, automatically becomes a mrmher of the National Assessment Policy Committee. Mosteltee and Gitbert both joinrd ANAC in 1970. Committee membership at that time consisted of Robert Abelson, Yale University; William Coffman, Uni- versity of Ioma; Lyle Jones, Unicersiry of North Carolina; and John SV. Tukey of Princeton Uniceesity, then chairman of ANAC. Together the sin men supervised anatysss of findings from NAEP's first science assessment and coauthored the first three major science reports. tn 1973, ANAC split into two parts. Mosteller became chairman of, the nem ANAC, and, under his leadership, the group evotved from concentrating on statistical analysis of NAEP data to being increasingly concerned with methods by which assess went findings can aid those who determine education policy. Meanwhile, the second group - the Specialized Analysis Advisory Committee (SPANAC) - pioneered analysis of repeat assessments in science, which led to change-over-lime data. Headed by Tukey, SPANAC includes Jones and all ANAC Besides Gilbert, the active 1977 ANAC membership includes Vice Chairman Janet Elashoff, research statistician, Uni- versity of California, Los Angeles; David Brillingee, Department of Statistics, Uni- versity of California, Berkeley; Gene Glass, chairman, Division of Foundations and Research Methodology, School of Education, University of Colorado; and Lincoln Moses, dean, Graduate School Stanford University. NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS 700 Lincoln Tower, 1860 Lincoln St. Denver, Cob, 80295 NONPROF~] ORGANIZATION I US, POSTAGE PAID I DENVER, COW. [~RMtT NO, 1717 Page 8 243 April 1977 National Assessment John Gilbert to Head ANAC READING vomprnhnesistt and ietnrnsts of cog- nitive psychologists were among topics dis- cussed wish NAEP stuff by Wilbern J. Mckeavhie, professor of psychology, Urtiverniny of Michigan. McKewhis mm is Denver is voeissnvtioe wish atttaal meeting of Amneico, Assaeietioo for den Advtocnwent vf Science. NEWSLETTER April 1977, Vol. X, Nv. 2 Published bienunthly by thr Natinnal Assess- meet at Edunational Prngrevs INAEPI, the Naeinnal Center fur Educative Statistics, Office uf thr Assistant Secretary fur Educa- tive, U.S. Department ef Health, Edunatiun and Welfare. Nvtirnal Assessment, a penject nf the Edunaeinn Creemivsinn af the States, is mated in Suite 700, 1060 Linonln St., Denovr, CoIn. 00290. Dienctvn: Ruy H. Fnebes Public Information Dirwsve: Helen K. Masteesnn Editor: Jeanne Bays Dissnminasioe Associate: Minnie Mitchell Address Correction Requested PAGENO="0248" 244 FXP]CTITIVE STJ?!'*'APY OF 197 C-?? IMSSACH(ISITTS STATZWIDZ~ EDUCATIONAL ASFESE"EWT SCIENCE AND ECOLOCY CONSIN4TfT? S~ILTS A ND VALUES SChOOL CLI~ATE Bureau of Research and Assessment ~1assachusetts Derartment of Education 31 St. Janes Avenue Boston, ~!assachusetts 02116 PAGENO="0249" 245 SCIEhCE/ECOLO(( The Assessment Anoroximately eiahteen hundred ~ 9 year olds and an identical number of 17 year olds were assessed on their knotiledqe, under- standing and anoreciation in biology, chemistry, earth science, ecology and phisics. ~ - ~ (~AEP), the `Science Educetion in ~1ineteen Countries study, and those contributed by the study's Science Advisory Committee. The Schools Of the elementary end secondary schools narticioating in the study, 74% have a science suoervisor or coordinator. Although the average fourth grade teacher spends a little over 2 hours a week in science instruction, 65% of the elementary school third and fourth grades, in the study samole, do not have a soecific time allotted for ecology. Most elementary nrincinais (67%) believe the time allotted to science is satisfactory. Although half of the high schools do not offer a separate ecology course, 80% do have specifically developed ecology lessons in their science courses. Overall Science Results Massachusetts 9 year olds.score much better than their national and international peers and about enual to their regional (~rtheast) counter- parts. In no area (biology, chemistry, earth science, physics) did the 9 year olds score less than the ~AEP national and regional samoles. __ ~ On test items that were comoarable, the median percent correct for the International samole was 55, while the median merfor~~~ of rold was 3 Nine year olds had their best oercentage of correct items in earth science, ecology and chemistry and were moorestin biology. Seventeen year PAGENO="0250" 246 olds performed best in biology, earth science and ecology and poorest chemistry and ohysics. Nine year olds had a higher percentage of correct items in all areas comnared to 17 year olds. Background Characteristics and Science Results time and seventeen year olds from big cities and industrial suburbs do less well than their seers in residential and other communities with the exception of 17 year olds on the earth science items. These industrial suburban and other community students performed better than their resi- dential and big city counterparts. Stati~ticallv there are significant differences between male students and female in most areas, although in a few content areas (i.e. 9 year old ohysics), there are no sex differences. The greatest sex difference for 9 year olds is in earth science; for 17 year olds, chemistry. tb relationship exists between family occupational status and median test performance for 9 year olds on biology or ecology exercises or for 17 year olds on earth science. Nine year aids from families of high occupa- tional status, however, outperform those from low occupational backgrounds in earth science, physics and chemistry and for 17 year olds in biology, chemistry and physics. Previous Exoerience, Attitudes and Science Results Seeing a science demonstration outside of school is strongly related to 17 year old performance in all science content areas, but actually nerforming a science exoeriment outside of school (i.e. collecting and identifying rocks) is only strongly related to biology. For 9 year olds, the relationships with seeing a science demonstration isstrongest in earth science, chemistry and physics. Only a weak relationship exists between doing a science experiment and 9 year old performance in all science content areas. Discussions with Parents and friends on scientific and environmental topics is related to science performance, esoecially for 17 year olds. Similarly, with a few exceptions, having some science laboratory exoerience is oositively related to successful performance for both 9 and 17 year olds. The most clear cut relationship is for 17 year olds in chemistry. Liking school is oositively associated with successful science performance in all content areas for 17 year olds. It is strongest in ecology and weakest in earth science. The relationship is less clear for 9 year olds. Appreciation in Science The test items in this area of the assessment measured the degree to which students value the objects, ideas and processes of science. Nine year olds have appreciation scores at about the same level as both the IIAEP and Uortheast samoles. Seventeen year olds have scores somewhat lower than these two sample groups. Although a somewhat greater percentage of Nassachusetts 17 PAGENO="0251" 247 year olds want to become scientists than do their national and regional counterparts, they also see some~ihat lesser usefulness for, and have less enjoyment of, science than do their national and regional oeers. ~ale students from residential suburbs and higher occunational back- ground have the highest anoreciation scores. Similarly, those seeing science demonstrations or nerforming outside science orojects and those who discuss science with their parents or friends show higher aopreciation of science. Science Vocabulary Test items were drawn from the most corononly used science terminology on the major Saturday morning television orograms. Twenty six cercent of 9 year olds think vitamins `are things that can be used instead of eating any food". Sixty eight percent believe comouters can think for themselves like people. - Ecology: Student Involvement and Attitudes Thirty seven percent of 9 year olds and 52% of 17 year olds are in schools with environmental nrojects. However, 26% of 9 year olds and 34% of 17 year olds are not involved in any environmental projects and 20% of 17 year olds say they don't have the time to get involved. Most 9 and 17 year olds attribute their involvement in special environmental projects to either their own initiative, schoolwork or friends. Few get their ideas from either family or the media. One out of every four 9 and 17 year olds believe that the environmental problems facing us are very dangerous. Most believe they are "somewhat dangerous". Asked what sacrifices they would be willing to make to help conserve the earth's supplies of food, energy and materials, the largest percentage of nine and seventeen year olds indicated a willingness to help in the recycling of bottles, cans and paper. This rias followed for 9 year olds, by "drive less in cars" and "making fewer visits to friends who live far away"; for 17 year olds "using less air-conditioning" and"living in a smaller house". Eoth age grouos were least willing to "have fewer clothes and "eat one meal less each day". Seventeen year olds consistently renorted a greater willingness to alter their lifestyles to halo conserve the earth's resources than did 9 year olds. However, only one out of three 17 year olds, comoared to over half of the 9 year olds, is willing to come back to school on their own time to learn and do more about environmental oroblems. Similarly, while only 32% of 17 year olds believe nuclear reactors can orovide safe electrical power, 57% would sanction it if threatened with long period without electricity. Ecoloc', Achievement Massachusetts 9 year olds comoleted 52% of the ecology test exercises correctly; 17 year olds 48%. The most difficult item for 9 year olds was recognizing a food chain; for 17 year olds the identification PAGENO="0252" 248 of a orimary consumer in a food chain. The easiest exercise for 9 year aids was recognizing that plants orovide food for living organisms; for 17 year olds recognizing that a major difference between man and other living things is that he changes his environment. There were no sex differences in median performance for either 9 or 17 year olds. No relationshio exists between median test performance and family occupational status for 9 year aids; for 17 year olds high status background students outperform low status background students. The relationship between liking school and oerformance is strong for 17 year olds but non-existent for 9 year olds. While students in both age groups who report conversations about the environment with parents and/or friends have a higher median performance than those who do not report such conversations, the strength of this relationshia is greatest for 17 year olds. The fact that a school had a project to help the environment or that a student oarticiaated in such a project is unrelated to achievement on the ecology exercises by 9 year aids. It is moderately related for 17 year aids. For 17 year aids, the mare dangerous environmental prablems are perceived to be the higher the median performance on the ecology exercises. For 9 year aids, those who rate environmental problems as only `somewhat dangerous" perform better then those who feel that these problems are either very dangerous or nat dangerous at all. PAGENO="0253" 249 CONSUMER SKILLS AND VALUES The Assessment Aooroximately 1,800 Uassachusetts 9 year olds and 1,600 17 year olds were assessed on their consumer knowledge, understanding and values in planning, borrowing, buying, inventing, sharing and orotecting. The one hundred criterion referenced test items for each age group were derived from both consumer education projects throughout the United States and from the Department of Educations Demonstration Project in Consumer Education in lewburynort. In addition to the naoer-and-oencil tests develooed for 9 and 17 year olds, questionnaires were designed and administered to both groups and structured interviews conducted with parents on various facets of their knowledge, interests and problems related to consumer issues. About three out of four elementary schools oarticipating in the study do not have specific time allotted at the third or fourth grade level for studying the problems and concerns of consumers. Fifty seven percent of high schools, however, offer a senarate course in consumer education and 62% have snecific consumer education lessons as part of other courses Overall Results The two content areas in which median 9 year olds performance was highest were planning (71%) and protecting (67%). The area of ~ includes budgeting time and resources, decision-making, establishing oriorities, family life cycle, government agencies, use of leisure time and wills. Protectino includes conservation, environment, government programs, protection agencies, health, insurance, safety measures, social security and wills. The lowest area of performance for 9 year olds was borrowing (10%). This area includes banking systems, bankruntcy, credit, credit charges, credit risks, interest, lendinq institutions and types of borrowing. The median level of correct items for the remaining content areas for 9 year olds was buying (48%), sharing (33%) and investing (33%). Buyipg~ includes advertising, consumer buying erections, influences on rising costs, labeling, medium of exchange, needs or desires, products, buyer and seller responsibilities and rights and types of business establishments. Sharj~g includes oossessions, resnonsibilities, rights and taxes. Investi~9~ includes bonds, education, health, money, real estate, stocks, talent and time. Seventeen year olds nerforred best in planning (76%) and protecting (73%) and least well in borrowing (58%). The median level of correct resoonses for the remaining content areas for 17 year olds was buying (71%), sharing (70%) and investing (68%). PAGENO="0254" 250 Backaround Ch~racteristics and Results In almost all instances, 9 and 17 year olds from residential suburbs nerform at a higher level than those from industrial suburbs, big cities or other kinds of communities. Big cities and industrial suburbs 9 and 17 year olds oerform very similarly. ~iine year old females score higher than males on orotecting, while males score higher on borrowing and investing. Seventeen year old females score higher in orotecti.ng while males score higher on borrowing, planning and sharing. For both, borrowing is the lowest cerformance area while orotecting (except for 9 year old males) is the highest area of performance. Relationshics between occucational status and median test oerformance favor high occuoatiomal status 9 year olds in sharing, investing and buying with only small differences in the remaining areas. Similarly, high occucational status 17 year olds outmerform low occupational status 17 year olds ~n buying, investing, orotectina and sharing. Differences in other areas are not statistically significant. Attitudes and Other Factors Related to Results For both 9 and 17 yaar olds, those who dislike school very much" score lower in all content areas than those who like school. For both age groups the differences are esoecially. significant in borrowing and protecting. For 9 year olds the differences are, in addition, signi- ficant in buying and planning; for 17 year olds in sharing. Most 9 year olds who often watch Saturday morning television do not do as well in~ the various content areas as those who report not watching Saturday morning television often. This is especially evident in borrowing, buying and sharing. The one area, where those who frequently watch television outcerform those who don't, is in planning. There is little difference in performance in the various consumer test areas between 9 year olds who report having classes on buying, saving and planning and those who don't. In fact, in buying and sharing exercises those who report not having classes perform slightly higher than those reporting affirmatively. For 17 year olds there .are no significant differ- ences in four of the six content areas; the exceptions favoring investing and planning for those who reported taking high school classes in consumer education. For 9 year olds there are virtually no differences between those who often talk about saving with their family and those who don't. Similarly, there are no significant differences, with the exception of protection, between those who often talk about sharing with their friends and those who don't. The story is identical for 17 year olds. There are no differences between those discussing consumer problems with their family and those not; no differences between those answering yes and no when asked if they discuss consumer problems with friends. PAGENO="0255" 251 There are no differences in the nerformance of 9 year olds who report hearing their teachers talk about sharing and those who do not. Some exposure to media amnears better for 17 year olds. Generally, those who watch little or no television news do not perforn os wel1 as 17 year olds who watch if more freouently. Similarly, those who read most of the newsoaoer almost every day do somewhat better than those who reoort never reading the newsoaper. Those who read a national magazine at least once a week score higher than those who never read a magazine. Seventeen year olds were asked which section of the newsoaper they found the the most interesting. While those who find the news oart of a newsoaper most interesting, tend, overall, to do better, the most significant finding showed that those who üerfer reading advertisements as against the comics, sports or news scored significantly lower in all six content areas. Consumer Values Values items were built into five of the six content areas of the test. In ~gg, 9 year olds indicated they both enjoy more and want more of what they see on television than 17 year olds. In the investin~ area, 17 year olds are more conscious of the value of saving money and the future worth of collected articles than 9.year olds. In p~ppinq, 9 year olds are more willing than 17 year olds to save over an extended period of time for a bike. In orotectina, 17 year olds were more sensitive to the different ways parents protect their children than 9 year olds. In sharino, 17 year olds have a greater tendency to may others in proportion to the work put in than 9 year olds. Consumer Situations: 9 year olds Nine year olds were orally presented with oroblematic consumer situations in planning and borrowing. Students indicated their opinions, knowledge and values on a structured questionnaire. Generally, nine year olds per- formed better on planning than on borrowing and females had a higher percentage of correct responses than males. Consumer Negotiation: 17 year olds Seventeen year olds listened to a consumer negotiation script dramatizing a dialogue between an automobile salesman and customer. Each student completed a questionnaire on details of the purchase; questions that were and could have been asked; how a purchase like this would influence family, individual and society; how they would conduct themselves in the situation; and general questions about cormaunity consumer problems. Ninety three percent of 17 year olds recognized both manipulation in the dialogue between the salesperson and buyer and that insufficient details had been supnlied in order to cake a purchase. Few, however, could evaluate the impact of the purchase on the individual, family or society or cite additional questions that could he raised in the interaction. Few 17 year olds had information about agencies that could protect them in consumer necotiatione. Analysis of resoonses indicate different perceptions of the negotiations and different attitudes, interests,and knowledge about consumer issues are held by males and females and by students from different occupational backgrounds. PAGENO="0256" 252 Parents Consumer View Parents from four different kinds of communities were interviewed on their consumer oroblems, concerns and interests. In buying, their major concern was with the undue influence of advertising on their children. Their second major concern was with the impact of rising costs on their life style. In borrowinc, the greatest parental concernswas with credit, credit charges, credit risks and interest. Major marental concerns in orotecting centered on health and protection agencies while in the area of investinc major concerns were expressed on the edi~cation of children, inflation, maintenance of real estate values and home repairs, and keeoing up with health costs. Concerns with ~ focused on taxation while in p]~ggIng, the concern was primarily around time and resources. PAGENO="0257" 253 SCHOOL CLP~ATE The Assessment Amoroximately eighteen hundred high school students in twenty four ran~only selected high schools were administered school climate question- naires. Teachers, administrators end sumnort staff in eight of the twenty four schools were also administered climate questionnaires which, in part, paralleled the student questionnaire. School climate was defined as feelings and opinions about various asmects of the school and its omeration as nerceived by students, teachers, administrators and suoport staff. The basic domains of school climate considered by the study were relationshios, nersonal develooment and organization. Under relation- shins are five, specific climate areas of community, accessibi~TTfTi~Ta recemtivity, involvement, equal treatment and grouoing. Under oersonal develooment are learning orientation, expressiveness, goal direction and ~`}~illenge. Under organization are dealing with problems, order, options and influence distribution. School Climate Instrument Validation The climate questionnaires are based on organizational climate research in schools, classrooms, businesses, hospitals, the military and other types of organizations. The reDort describes other approaches taken to school climate, the approach taken by the study and the procedures followed in developing and testing the instrument. Results show the school climate instrument developed in the study to have high construct, discriminant and concurrent validity. In addition, the instrument demonstrated high reliability. ~1ajor Findings Hajor findings show: Uo one type of community---be it residential suburb, industrial suburb, large city or other type of community has high schools with the best rated school climate. Thus, some city schools are rated higher in school climate than some suburban and rural schools and vice versa. Administrators, teachers and support staff almost consistently rate school climate higher than students with administrators porceiving the climate highest, followed by suoport staff and then teachers. The differences are large, significant and systematic. 95-e38 0 - 77 - 17 PAGENO="0258" 254 * Students from higher socioeconomic background, who are college- bound, who get higher grades and who are involved in extra curricular activities rate their high schools hiqher (than other groups) on nine of the thirteen climate areas assessed. Many areas of school climate are rated more favorably in high schools with smaller student enrollments, higher percentages of graduates going on to higher education, higher per-student district expenditures and with certain types of organizational and scheduling patterns. Conclusions and Recommendations Based on the school climate instruments validity and reliability and the findings of the field testing,the renort recommends that the instrument be made available for use by high schools. Related to this, the report suggests that technical assistance be provided those using the instrument. Further research with improved samoling and some revised questionnaire items is recommended along with further exploration of the relationships between school climate aid certain school and student characteristics. Adaptation and field testing of the instrument for use by elementary and junior high schools is also recommended. Postscript A companion volume to this study will be issued in September, 1977. This publication will explain how local school districts can use the school climate instruments. Included will be such topics as forming local climate study teams, questionnaire administration and scoring, and interpreting results. Based on an intensive follow-up in three different high schools, the publication will focus on factors which can contribute or hinder the local use of school climate results. PAGENO="0259" 255 ASSESSMENT FACT SHEET WASHINGTON STATE FOURTH, EIGHTH AND ELEVENTH GRADE ASSESSMENT PROGRAMS Chapter 98, Laws of 1975-76, 2nd ex. sess. directs the Superintendent of Public Instruction to conduct reading, mathematics and language arts achievement surveys of state gg~p~es of eighth and eleventh grade students in the public schools of Washington. Chapter 98 further directs the Superintendent to conduct a stand- ardized test of the reading, language arts and mathematics achievement of all fourth grade students. The sample testing procedures for the eighth and eleventh grades will be quite different from the every pupil testing at grade four. I. What About the Eighth and Eleventh Grade Testing Programs? What are the purposes of the assessments? The primary purpose of these assessments is to provide state level information about the performance of Washington eighth and eleventh grade students compared to similar students' performar:e nationally in selected basic skills areas. Other purposes include developing prototype assessment models and materials for local districts to use in their own evaluation programs. What will be assessed? Specifically, performance will be assessed on selected items in reading, mathematics and writing. What tests will be used? .J1 - The ~ eighth grade asse~ nt~re selected by a representative group of Washington teachers and curriculum specialists. The tests do include a number of basic skill areas, but the number was limited to keep a reasonable testing time for each student. The development of the eleventh grade test will follow the same pattern as the eighth grade using teachers and curriculum specialists to iden- tify the areas and items to be assessed. How many schools and students will be involved? The eighth grade assessment will involve 67 schools randomly selected from all public schools enrolling eighth grade students. Approximately 25 randomly selected students within each of the 67 schools will be tested. The eleventh grade assessment will Involve a similar number of schools and students. When will the assessments occur? The eighth grade assessment will be adminis- tered during the week of November 15-19, 1976. The eleventh grade assessment will be administered in the spring of 1977. 910w and when will the results be r!ported? The final reports of the eighth and eleventh grade assessments will not describe individual, school or-district results. ______ t van- - ables such as size of district or type of coemunity may be included. The eighth grade results will be available in February, 1977 and the eleventh grade results will be released in the summer or fall of 1977. PAGENO="0260" 256 Further questions? Questions regarding the eighth and eleventh grade assessments may be directed to Dr. Gordon Ensign, Program Evaluation Section, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Olympia, Washington 98504. Telephone: (206) 753-3449. II. What About the Fourth Grade Testing Program? What are the purposes of the 4th grade test? The primary purpose of the 6th grade testing program is to provide the Legislature, school districts and parents with information about the achievement of 4th grade students compared with other students in the same district, the state, and the natio~. Other purposes include the provision of data for federal or state categorical pro- grams requiring annual evaluation reports. What will he assessed? Basic skills achievement in reading, language arts and mathematics will be tested. In addition, districts or schools will have the option of testing reference skills. What tests_will be used? The Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS), a nationally standardized, norm-referenced achievement battery was selected on the basis of competitive bids and recommendations by an outside review panel. How many schools and students will be involved? All public schools in Washington which enroll fourth grade students will be involved. Every fourth grade student will be tested in each school except for those students identi- fied as educationally handicapped and served by special or self-contained educational programs. When will the tests be administered? The CTBS will be administered during the period October 18-29. Included in the test materials to each district are suggested daily schedules for the administration of the sub-tests which make up the complete CTBS battery. How and when will the results be reported? Each building and district will receive individual student, building, and district level reports of the test results. These reports should be sent to the districts during the first week of December. The reports will compare student achievement with national, state and local results. The state level reports will include both district by district profiles and total state level results. A final state level report will be presented to the Legislature in February, 1977. Further Questions? Questions regarding the fourth grade testing program may be directed to Dr. Gordon Ensign, Program Evaluation Section, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Olympia, Washington 98504. Telephone: (206) 753-3449. PAGENO="0261" 257 SIX-YEAR IMPROV~ENT PLAN FOR THE DEPART~E~ OF TESTING JUNE 30, 1977 Based on the Norfolk Public Schools Six-Year Improve~erLt Plan TESTING DEPARThENT STAFF: Donna Doyle Stiiith, Director of Testing Keith W. Yackee, Supervisor of Testing 3. Darrell Kennedy, Measurerent Specialist Joyce Ballou, Testing Aide * Mary Bohenek, Secretary to the Director * Pamela Boone, Word Processor Operator Ma~ie Bro'~n, Clerk-Typist Patti Kerr, Te~tin; Aide Elouise Lawton, Pricit Shop Operator Rita McKinney, Testing Aide Sue Stickland, Secretary to the Supervisor PAGENO="0262" c~s: 2: Students will participate in learning experiences that proeote eptinal educational development of the individual. - -. PaOflCO obJ~i~,, . ~ Pnx.a Ob~scbvo 1977-78 P~xssa O~jocevo - 1978-79 Obtcth'e 1979-80 Ptoccto O~c~vo 1930-33 - P.~ēcn~Ly - - 2.1 Student uchieverncnt will equal or excee the individual's ability level as maccured by standardized tests (Wit lre~queWL. 2.1 be chae3ed read,"Student ~ azhta.veccenton a~ locally deve.lope~ teat using Nations seeScsent item%~ * wilLequalgr,. excaee,~ ~hee~pn~~ pdTCen$age of correct responss~ *oa Z~°'t~es~ 2.1.1.1 2-2 2.1,1.1 2-2 2.1.1.1 T-2 Teats and services will. be provided. Technique may be changed 2.1.1.3 2 2.1.1.1 T-1 Provide rents, scoring services and inter' pretive infornation including reports to the staff, Board, and general public in grades 4, 6, 3, and 11 2.1.1.1 T-2 Frovide achievc~sant tests and scoring services for sac-pies of students on a pre-post basis in grade 3 end posttest in grades 2 and 4 for the purpose of evalua- ting Title I progr~S. Modified Multiple Matrix Seepling Technique to be used 2.1.1.3 T Provide technical assistance in c~spie- ting self-study 2.1.1.12 T-l Provide consultant services in the development of objec- tive-referenced tests in Business Education Typing Provtde technical inforrstion to isdividual schools who are c~pleting self-study Director of Toe ting Director of Testtng; 1easure~ecit Specialist; Secretary to the Director; Tasting Aides Director of Testing; iecrctsry to the Director Meseuresnent Specislist~ Secretary to Specialie~; Word Processor Operator; Offset Operator; Testing Aides 2.1.1.3 2 2.1,1.3 2 2.1.1.12 2-1 2.1. 1, 12 2-1 Expand services 2,1.1. 12 T-i Provide testing cervices for objective- referenced test in typing and continue to provide consul- tant cervices for develop- ment in other areas PAGENO="0263" 259 I r~J 2 ~ - _[~ ~ ~:1~ [~ ~ ij ~ jJ 7, N N. N 7, N PAGENO="0264" 260 - CHAPTER 1 DATA GATHERING INSTRUMENTS Test DevelopmentS Introduction. The first major activity of the criterion-referenced assessment of 17-year-olds was the development of an appropriate instrument with which to measure student achievement of basic skills. This goal was achieved, first, by the selection of subject area domains of interest to Rhode Island educators; second, by the identification of high-priority learning objectives within each domain; and third, by the selection of test exercises appropriately matched to each objective. The selection process initially focused an the testing materials developed by National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). These materials were then supplemented by others, including those developed by the Adult Performance Level Study (APL) of the University of Texas at Austin and by National Evaluation Systems (NES). A general guideline steered the selection process. Within each sub- ject area domain, objectives and test exercises were selected which repre- sented basic skills at a minimal competency level. Each exercise reflected a skill which state educators believed (1) was required for success in adult life and (2) should be characteristic of the ability level of most Rhode Island students. Subject area domains. A committee of RIDE staff members identified PAGENO="0265" 261 eight domains to be assessed, thereby establishing a framework for the selection process. Certain domains were traditional subject areas charac. teristic of school curricula~ while others represented more general learnir outcomes desirable for students about to exit from high school. The eight selected domains are listed below: 1) Reading 2) Mathematics 3) Writing 4) Science 5) Citizenship 6) Career a~d Occupational Development 7) Health 8) Consumer Economics - Preliminary objective selection. In order to facilitate objective selection, NES staff members assembled a customized package representing all objectives developed by NAEP and APL. All major objectives and sub- objectives for each domain were included, as well as specifications for appropriate types of exercises. These materials were prepared for review by a selection committee chosen by RIDE. The selection committee was .comprised of approximately 25 Rhode Island representatives of such groups as school administrators, teachers, parents, school committees, personnel officers, admissions officers, and other inter- ested professional and lay groups. The members performed pre-conference objective selection ratings prior to attendance at two conferences, one PAGENO="0266" 262 * for final objective selection and one for test exercise selection. The complete set of objectives was mailed on October 22, 1975, to all participants, along with customized rating sheets. Each member judged each objective and sub-objective in terms of whether or not it was acceptable based on established criteria for objective review. A three-point scale was utilized with 1 = definitely not, 2 = not sure, and 3 = definitely yes. These materials were returned one week later and NES staff tabulated the data to produce group averages of the ratings. The total objective pool was then reduced by selecting only those objectives with a mean rating of 1.5 or higher. A new set of objective materials was prepared for presen- tation at the Objective Selection Conference. ~j!citive Selection Conference. The selection committee assembled for the first time on November 5, 1975, at an Objective Selection Conference. Following a description of the aims and philosophy of assessment programs and a detailed. discussion of the parameters of the test development phase, the group divided into sub-committees, each assigned one or more goal areas. The members of each committee discussed the objectives which were presented. Individual members then judged each objective in terms of its relative pri- ority for statewide assessment. A five-point scale was employed with 1 = highest priority and 5 = lowest priority. Following the Objective SeleCtion Conference, NES staff members ana- lyzed the results of the ratings.~ All objectives with an average rating of 2 or higher were adopted for furtherattention of the committee. PAGENO="0267" 263 * Item Selection Conference. The refined pool of objectives was asse~.. bled by NES staff in a second set of conference materials. All available NAEP and APL test exercises were reproduced and matched to their respectiy0 objectives. Where few NAEP or APL exercises were available, these were supplemented by exercises from the NES item bank. Item rating sheets were prepared to accompany the conference materials. The selection committee reassembled two weeks later at an Item Selec- tion Conference. Again dividing into sub-committees, the members discussed each of the exercises individually and reached group consensus on its appro- priateness for the assessment. Appropriateness was determined on the basis of an item's difficulty level in terms of the target population and the assessment philosophy and the degree to which the item represented a valid measure of the objective to which it was referenced. The committee rated each item as acceptable or not acceptable for statewide assessment. These ratings were valuable input to the decisions required of RIDE in arriving at a final exercise pool. Final selection. Based on concerns regarding the breadth of content of tests and the availability of testing time in the schools, RIDE staff made the final selection of test exercises. Only exercises which had been judged acceptable by the committee were adopted by RIDE. These exercises were subjected to a final review by an ad hoc committee of specialist teachers, one committee for each subject area domain, prior to. final approval. . When the selection process was completed, 113 exercises measuring PAGENO="0268" 264 45 objectives were selected for the assessment. Approximately 30% of these were exercises developed by NAEP; 85% of all exercises were multiple-choice format and 15% were open-ended, requiring either a numerical response or a short verbal answer. One exercise required a full writing sample. The text of all exercises (in test booklet form) appears in Appendix A. Test Booklets In order to reduce the testing time required of each student, the selected exercises were assembled into two test booklets. Only one of the booklets was administered to each student in the assessment. Each booklet required approximately one hour of testing time. - The booklets are defined by the subject area domains they contain; that is, all exercises for a given domain are contained in one booklet. Table 1.1 displays the assignment of domains to test booklets. TABLE 1.1 Assignment of Subject Area Domains to the Two Test Booklets Booklet 1 Booklet 2 Career and Occupational Development Mathematics Consumer Economics Health Citizenship Reading Writing Science PAGENO="0269" 265 The test exercises were printed, preceded by the student question- naire, on 11 x 17 white stock, folded and saddle-stitched. Responses were entered directly in the test booklet, either in multiple-choice bubbles or on designated answer lines. Scoring boxes for open-ended items were printed at the bottom of appropriate pages. The format used in the production of the test booklets provided for ease of student response and data processing. PAGENO="0270" 266 CHAPTER 8 NATIONAL COMPARISONS Introduction One of the purposes of the assessment was to permit comparisons of the performance of Rhode Island students with performance nationwide. Therefore some of the test items selected for inclusion in the criterion- referenced tests were those developed by National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). For those items which NAEP administered to 17-year-olds, comparisons may be made between Rhode Island students and students from across the nation. This chapter presents the data from both the national and the Rhode Island assessments on selected test items, and examines the similarities and differences between them. Only four goal areas contained items for which comparative data are available. These areas were Reading (18 items), Mathematics (eight items), Citizenship (seven items), and Consumer Economics (one item). The analysis groups items according to objective within each goal area, and presents the percentage of 17-year-olds in Rhode Island and nationally who scored cor- rectly on each test item. Summarized in Table 8.1 are~the percentages of 17-year-olds, nationally *and in Rhode Island, who scored correctly~ on the individual Reading items, PAGENO="0271" 267 TABLE 8.1 Percentage of 17-Year-Olds Scoring Correctly on Individual Reading Items, Both Nationally and in Rhode Island . Objective . . Item # NAEP/National Rhode Island % S.E. % S.E. (3) Read paragraphs, passages and longer . ~ * ~ . ~ 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 50 54 55 92.7 .6 94.1 .6 84.9 1.0 68.3 1.4 77.7 1.3 82.5 1.0 94.7 .6 92.0 .7 85.5 1.0 90.8 `.7 96.5 .4 94.1 .5 92.7 .6 85.3 .7 78.0 .8 89.6 .6 96.5 .4 92.0 .6 82.7 .8 90.1 .7 (4) Remember significant parts of what is read 57 58 93.2 .6 89.3 .7 92.8 .5 87.5 .7 (6) Obtain information efficiently * ,49 42 43 98.4 .3 80.4 1.1 94.5 .6 97.3 .4 81.9 1.2 96.0 .4 (7) Draw appropriate inferences 56 91.4 .8 ~ 86.7 .8 (9) Make judgments about a work on the basis of what is found in the work 48 53 . 92.1 .9 83 3 1 0 * 84.3 .7 * 84 4 8 * PAGENO="0272" 268 grouped by objective, as well as the standard errors (S.E.) of the per- centage scores. Overall, Rhode Island students performed slightly better on Reading items than students nationally. More specifically, on almost two-thirds of the items concerned with reading paragraphs, passages, and longer works (Objective 3), a higher proportion of Rhode Island students (up to 12% more) responded correctly than 17-year-olds nationally. On the other items assessing this objective, the porcentage of students scoring correctly was about the same for the nation as it was for Rhode Island. Two items assessed the recall of significant parts of what is read (Objective 4). On these items, a slightly lower percentage of the Rhode Island students answered correctly than students nationally. Obtaining information efficiently (Objective 6) represented another area in which Rhode Island students performed slightly above students from across the nation. On two of the three items assessing this objective, a higher proportion of Rhode Island students answered correctly. On the item measuring the drawing of appropriate inferences (Objective 7), 4.7% more students nationally answered it correctly than students in Rhode Island. Finally, of the two items assessing making judgments about a work on the basis of what is found in the work (Objective 9), national percentages were higher on one and Rhode Island percentages were higher on the other. PAGENO="0273" 269 Mathematics Table 8.2 displays the percentage of all 17-year-olds, in the nation and in Rhode Island, who scored correctly on each of the eight Mathematics items. Also presented are the standard errors of the percentage scores. A slightly higher percentage of Rhode Island students correctly answered items testing knowledge of the metric system (Objective 2) than students nationwide. Rhode Island students performed comparably with stu- dents nationally on arithmetic computation (Obj6~tive 3). On four of the six items for this objective, there were no appreciable differences. On the remaining two items, there are moderate differences; on one, 9% more Rhode Island students answered the item correctly, and on the other, 6% more s1~udents nationally correctly answered the item. Citizenship Presented in Table 8.3 are the national and Rhode Island results on items assessing three objectives in the goal area of Citizenship. Perfor- mance of Rhode Island 17-year-olds was substantially below that of 17-year- olds nationally on the item assessing understanding of the organization of federal and state government (Objective 3). Fifty-nine percent of Rhode Island students, as opposed to 73% of students nationally, answered this item correctly. There ware small differences (less than 5%) between Rhode Island students and students nationally on the item assessing recognition of the importance of political opposition and interest groups (Objective 5), and 95.038 0 - 77 - 18 PAGENO="0274" 270 TABLE 8.2 Percentage of 17-Year-Olds Scoring Correctly on Individual Mathematics Items, Both Nationally and in Rhode Island Objective Item # NAEP/NatiOnal -~ Rhode Island (2) Knowledge of metric system 10 11 65.3 1.5 67.8 1.8 71.1 .9 71.1 1.0 (3) Performance of 1 42.6 1.6 44.4 1.1 arithmetic computation .7 93.5 .6 5 93.8 . 4 68.6 1.6 66.8 1.0 8 79.1 --- 70.3 1.1 . .9 9 77.4 1.5 14 36.9 1.8 31.1 .9 PAGENO="0275" 271 TABLE 8.3 Percentage of 17-Year-Olds Scoring Correctly on Individual Citizenship Items, Both Nationally and in Rhode Island . Objective ~ Item # NAEP/National Rhode Island % S.E. % S.E. (3) Understand organization of federal and state government 57 72.7 1.4 . 59.2 1.2 (5) Recognize importance of political opposition and interest groups 56 93.8 .6 ~ 90.3 .6 (7) Know how to register to vote and know voting procedures . . 61 62 63 64 65 75.0 1.4 84.3 .9 75.9 1.3 64.1 1.6 91.1 .8 77.2 .9 78.1 .9 76.1 1.0 64.3 1.0 86.8 .7 PAGENO="0276" 272 on four of the five items assessing knowing how to register to vote and knowing voting procedures (Objective 7). Students nationally outperformed Rhode Island students on Objective 5; however, the results were mixed for Objective 7, with Rhode Island students performing slightly higher on three of the five items. Consumer Economics On the one Consumer Economics item measuring the objective "shop with preparedness and economy," students nationally performed slightly better than Rhode Island students. Table 8.4 shows that the difference between the groups was small (4.3%). TABLE 8.4 Percentage of 17-Year-Olds Scoring Correctly on the Consumer Economics Item, Both Nationally and in Rhode Island Objective . Item # NAEP/National Rhode Island ~-~- % S.E. % S.E. (1) Shop with preparedness and economy 19 35.2 1.3 30.9 1.0 ~!~ghlights of Results To provide an overview of the performance of Rhode Island students and students nationally, the average percentage of students scoring correctly PAGENO="0277" 273 was computed for the items within each objective for both student groups. These data are presented in Tables 8.5 and 8.6 for Reading, Mathematics, and Citizenship. Since Consumer Economics contained only one item for one objective, data are not presented graphically for this goal area. It is clear, from the graph in Table 8.5, that Rhode Island students performed above the national level on Reading Objectives 3 and 6 (reading paragraphs, passages and longer works; and obtaining information efficient- ly). They scored lower than students nationally on the remaining three objectives. In Mathematics, shown in Table 8.6, Rhode Island students performed above the national level on Objective 2 (knowledge of the metric system) and quite close to the national level on Objective 3 (performing arithmetic computation). In Citizenship, also shown in Table 8.6, Rhode Island scored below the nation on all three objectives. The largest difference was observed for Objective 3 (understanding the organization of federal and state government). On the other two objectives, only small differences occurred between the two student groups. In general, Rhode Island students as compared with students nationally performed well in the traditional Reading areas, in all Mathematics areas, and in Consumer Economics. Their performance was somewhat lower in the area of Citizenship. PAGENO="0278" 274 TABLE 8.5 Graph Comparing Rhode Island Students and Students Nationally on Reading Items by Objective 92 91 In .4-, ~ 90 89 (4-. S- 08 88 a) 4~) a)0 -~ 86 a) 85 84 -I 3 Rhode Island National 4 6 Objecti ye 7 9 PAGENO="0279" 275 TABLE 8.6 Graph Comparing Rhode Island Students and Students Nationally on Mathematics and Citizenship Items by Objective A I' / ` ~/ \\ / / / /1 / / I >) C-, C) S.- 5- 0 C-) 5- 0 C-) U) 4-) ci~ 4-) V) -. 0 C) 0) 4-) C) C) 5- C) 0~ 94 93 92 91 90 72 71 70 69 68 67 66 65 64 flath Objectives Citizenship Objectives Rhode Island National PAGENO="0280" 276 WASHINGTON STATEWIDE EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT READING, MATHEMATICS, WRITING 8th Grade - FaIl 1976 STATE GENERAL REPORT Frank B. Broulitet ~UH~1/ State Superintendent ot Public tnstructlon :~ PAGENO="0281" 277 Frank B. Brouillet Superintendent of Public Instruction Donald Hair Assistant Superintendent Division of Curriculum and Instruction Services Alfred Rasp, Jr. Director, Program Evaluation and Research Cordon B. Ensign, Jr. Supervisor, Program Evaluation and Research The Superintendent of Public Instruction was assisted in this 1976 8th Crade Assessment by The Measurement Research Center a division of Westinghouse Learning Corporation in collaboration with the American College Testing Program This report is made in compliance with Chapter 98, Laws of the 2nd ex. session 1975-76 Washington State Legislature. April, 1977 PAGENO="0282" 278 WASHINGTON STATEWIDE EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT State General Report EIGHTH GRADE INTRODUCTION In 1976 the Washington Legislature directed the Superintendent of Public Instruction to administer a reading, mathematics, and language arts achievement level survey to a sample of 8th grade students. The sample was to be carefully selected so that the survey results could be general- ized to the more than 65,000 8th grade students in Washington's public schools. The Legislature's stated purpose for this survey was to allow the public and the Legislature to judge how Washington 8th graders' achievement in selected areas compares with 8th grade achievement nationally or regionally. The remainder of this report describes both the Superintendent's procedures for and the general results of the first 8th grade assessment. OVERVIEW OF ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES In September, 1976, the Superintendent called together groups of teachers, curriculum specialists, administrators, and higher education personnel in each of the three areas of reading, mathematics, and language arts. Each of these groups was charged with the responsibility of reviewing the available National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) items in each of these three basic skill areas and recommending those items to be included in the 8th grade assessment. Several criteria were used in this review and selection process. First, the selected items were to be related as much as possible to current curricular trends and emphases in Washington. Second, the items were to measure significant or worthwhile skills, knowledges, or under- standings. Third, the items were to relate both to "out-of-school" and "in-school" applications or requirements. The NAEP item pool was used as a basis for the Committees' selections because it contains items which generally meet the above criteria. Further NAEP items have been validated in national surveys and offered the opportunity to compare Washington's 8th grade performance with that of a national and western region sample -- a requirement of the legislation. After-each of the Committees had selected an appropriate set of items, Westinghouse Learning Corporation (WLC) designed and printed appropriate administrative materials and test booklets. Following NAEP procedures, the Washington 8th grade assessment items were administered using "paced" audio cassette tapes which included all instructions to the students and moved the students through each booklet at a uniform pace. WLC was also responsible for providing the "paced" tapes based on NAEP specifications. PAGENO="0283" 279 The reading, mathematics and writing (language) booklets were administered to a sample of 8th grade students in November of 1976. The completed booklets were returned to WLC for scoring and results analysis. WLC has been a major contractor in the scoring and analysis of NAEP surveys which was a particular advantage in the scoring and analysis of the "open-ended", "free-response" and writing items which required extensive hand scoring. The 1976 Washington 8th grade assessment was based on a probability sample of approximately 1,600 students. The performance of the students in the sample was then generalized to represent the average performance of all eighth grade students in Washington's public schools. Comparisons were also made between Washington students and students nationwide and in the western region. The probability sample was selected in two stages. First, a stratified sample of 67 schools was selected from a list of all Washington public schools which enroll eighth grade students. Then from each of these 67 schools, a random subsample of students was selected to take the test. Further details on the sampling design, including weighting and analysis formulas, are available in a separate report. Responses to multiple-choice items were scored by optical scanning equipment. -Responses to open-ended questions ware hand-scored using the scoring categories developed by NAEP. The results were then weighted to produce estimates of the performance of all eighth graders. For each item, an estimate was computed.of the proportion (percentage) of eighth graders who would choose each of the possible responses, if all Washington eighth graders had taken the test. In particular, estimates were computed of the proportion of students who would answer the item correctly. In this report, the proportion of students answering an item correctly is called the "p-value". -~ Besides estimates for all students, separate statewide estimates were also computed by type of community, sex, and age. In addition, an estimate of the precision of each estimated proportion was computed. Further details of the analysis procedures are included in the separate sampling and analysis design report. READING RESULTS - The 45 items in the reading booklet tested a number of important reading skills and concepts. Many of the items relate directly to practical or "every day" situations. Such items include following a set of written directions or signs, reading report cards and insurance forms, interpreting road maps, understanding labels on grocery products and following recipes. Other kinds of items are designed to indicate the numbers of students who can correctly identify the major point of a paragraph, detect flaws in the logic of a set of statements, or appropriately sequence a series of pictorial events. PAGENO="0284" 280 Generally, Washington 8th graders performed well on nearly all of the reading items. Item 27B concerning the interpretation of an automobile insurance form was the most troublesome followed by item 25 which required the students to answer questions about a recipe. All students (100%) correctly answered items 2lA, 21B and 2lD involving the interpretation of a map. On well over half of the items (28 of 45) 85% or more of Washington's eighth graders gave the correct responses, while only eight of the 45 items were answered correctly by less than 70%. The proportions of students answering each reading item correctly (p-values) are given in Table 1. Table I Washington Eighth Grade Asscsssent ITEM P-VALUES READING Proportion of All Proportion of All Students Answering Students Answering Item Items Correc~y Ites Items Corrg~~y_ 1 .98 17 .68 2 .95 iSA .98 3 .35 18B .96 4 .87 18C .88 5 .72 19 .96 6 .92 20 .66 7 .88 21A 1.00 8 .95 210 1.00 9 .67 21C .96 10 .88 2lD 1.00 11 .71 22 .72 l2A .72 23 .63 12B .79 24 .86 l2C .70 25 .29 13A .94 26 .85 l3B .98 27A .91 13C .98 27B .10 130 .94 28 .82 l3E .82 29 .92 14A .83 30 .88 140 .68 31 .95 15 .89 32 .98 16 .87 PAGENO="0285" 281 MATHEMATICS RESULTS Similar to the reading items, many of the 57 math items relate directly to practical applications of math skills or knowledge. The math booklet included items such as determining the savings between two discounted prices, selecting the "best buy" among various sizes of a product, calculating gasoline mileage or measuring windows for curtains. Other items required the student to work with fractions and decimals, perform basic computations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division), determine areas or dimensions of shapes, calculate rates of speed, and to convert from one mathematical form to another (115 = what percent?). As was true nationally, this particular set of mathematics items proved more difficult than the set of reading items. However, the Washington students generally performed well on the mathematics items with 70% or Shore of the students answering nearly one-half of the items correctly. Item 31, computing the area of a square given the perimeter proved most difficult followed by 49B, interpreting a graph and item 17, calculating a percentage of a number. Items 1, 2, l4A, 4C, 6A, 6B, and 6C proved least difficult with over 90% of the students answering each one correctly. These items concerned magnitude, place value, simple computation and properties of zero. Table 2 gives a complete listing of the proportion of students correctly answering each of the 57 math items. WRITING RESULTS The sample of students was given two quite different writing assignments in the language portion of the 8th grade assessment. One item required the students to listen to a piece of music (a Scott Joplin rag) and write whatever they wished -- how the music made them feel, or what it reminded them of, etc. The second item was much more structured in that the students were asked to write a letter to their school principal describing something they would like to see changed in the operation of the school. They were further instructed to offer and justify a solution or alternative and provide examples of how their proposed solution would improve the existing situation. In each of these writing areas, Washington's 8th graders performed similarly to both the national and western region NAEP samples. On the music essay, 60% of the Washington students simply wrote a list of two or more single statements. Only 22% of the essays consisted of two or more topics and had four or more details related to at least one topic. Another 7% of the essays consisted of a single topic with four or more related details. The orientation of about 50% of the Washington music essays was "associ- ational"; that is, the writer named situations or scenes the music brought to mind. About 20% of the essays were "egocentric", in that the writers concentrated on their own internal states. Another 20% of the essays were "analytical", in that they identified either the music or its performer, or discussed its technical characteristics (soft, jumpy, crescendos, etc.). About 7% of the students created a metaphor for the music by inventing a scene or telling a story. PAGENO="0286" 282 Table 2 Washington Eighth Grade Assessment ITEM P-VALUES MATHEMAT [Cs Proportion of All Proportion of All Students Answering Students Answering Item Items Correctli item Items Co~~y_ 1 .99 26 .40 2 .92 27 .71 3 .87 28 .80 4A .96 29 .51 4±3 .88 30 .80 4C .93 31 .08 5 .88 32 .59 6A .98 33 .46 6B .98 34 .67 6C .97 35 7 *73 36 .19 8 .70 37 .34 9 .20 38 .81 10 .28 39 .69 11 .26 40 .89 12 .21 41A .73 13 .70 4113 .38 14 .75 42 .35 15 .38 43 .47 16 .42 44 .51 17 .11 45 .53 18 .63 46 .87 19 .30 47 .41 20 .88 48 .77 21 .63 49A .61 22 .69 49B .09 23 .86 50 .55 24 .53 51 .81 25 .46 PAGENO="0287" 283 About 25% of the principal's letters suggested a change, but neither justified it nor stated how it could be accomplished. About 45% of the letters suggested a change and either justified it or stated how it could be accomplished, but not both. Another 25% of the letters had all three elements, but developed them unevenly. About 5% of the letters contained all three elements and were evenly developed. Inadditioli to the two writing items, Washington students were given three different examples of a letter written for the same purpose and asked to identify the best letter. Eighty-eight percent were able to do so correctly. On another item, 52% of the students reported they sometimes write "things like poems, lyrics, or stories" for enjoyment, while 39% reported they never do and 8% often do. ~This compares with 51% who reported they often write "things like notes and letters, messages and directions", 44% reported they sometimes do, and 5% never do. RESULTS BY TYPE OF CONMLJNITY In addition to the estimates for the entire state, separate estimates were computed for students in the following types of communities: 1. Urban Metropolitan -- the area including the school districts of Seattle, Spokane, and Tacoma; 2. Urban Nonmetropolitan -- school districts in cities of 15,000 or greater population and not included above; 3. Suburban -- districts contiguous to either urban metropolitan or urban nonmetropolitan districts; 4. Rural/Small Town - districts in cities less than 15,000 population and/or school districts enrolling fewer than 2,000 students and not in any other type of community category. The major trend which emerged from the data was that students in Urban Metropolitan schools correctly answered items somewhat less often than students in the other types of communities. This was not a strong trend, however, and not consistent for all items. For some items the differences in p-values between types of communities were too small to be statistically significant; that is, they were small enough to have occurred by chance. In other cases the differences in p-values were statistically significant, but were still not large in magnitude. A difference of .10 (10%) was defined as the minimum for which statistically significant differences were large enough to be deemed practically (educationally) significant. Table 3 lists those items for which the Urban Metropolitan p-values were both statistically significantly different (at the .05 level) and at least .10 less in magnitude, than the p-values for at least one of the other types of communities. A detailed discussion of how statistical significance was calculated is included in the separate sampling and analysis design report. It should also be pointed out that Urban Metropolitan students scored higher on a few items than students in other types of communities. For example, 17% more Urban Metropolitan students correctly answered Mathe- matics Item 8 and 12% more correctly amswtred Mathematics Item 45, than did Rural/Small Town students. PAGENO="0288" 284 Except as noted above and in Table 3, there were no overall major differ- ences in p-values among Urban Nortmetropolitan, Suburban, or Rural/Small Town students. No significant differences occurred in either of the writing samples for any of the groups from the four types of communities. Table 3 Items for which Urban Metropolitan p-values are both statistically significantly different (.05 level) from, and .10 (or sore) in magnitude less than, p-values for another type of community. Ranges of difference in p-values between Urban Metropolitan students and students Item in other types of communities. Reading 9 .10 - .15 11 .11 - .15 l2C .06 - .14 l4A .10 - .15 l4B .13 - .18 17 .06 - .14 25 .07-.10 26* .07 - .15 Mathematics 14 .08 - .13 15 .08-.l3 17 .08-.lO 29 .05 - .12 37** .08 - .14 47 .05 - .16 49A .06 - .12 51 .10-15 * Rural/Small Town results similar to Urban Metropolitan. ** Suburban results similar to Urban Metropolitan. There is reason to believe that considerable variation exists among schools' p-values for some items. This variation in performance from school to school showed up as larger than usual confidence intervals (discussed in sampling and analysis report) and could have been caused by differing curriculum content or emphasis among the schools. Table 4 lists these items. This hypothesis needs additional data and further investigation before it can be verified. PAGENO="0289" 285 Table 4 Items which may reflect important differences in curriculum content emphasis among schools in a given type of community. Item Type of Community Reading 11 Urban Metropolitan, Urban Nonmetropolitan 14B Urban Metropolitan 23 Urban Metropolitan 24 Urban Metropolitan 28 Urban Metropolitan Mathematics 8 Urban Nonsetropolitan 17 Urban Nonmetropolitan 24 Urban Metropolitan 35 Urban Metropolitan, Urban Nonmetropolitan, Suburban . 415 Urban Metropolitan, Rural/Small Town RESULTS BY SEX In addition to the general state estimates, separate estimates were computed for males and females. Females tended to do better on the Reading items than the males, while on the Mathematics items, males tended to do better than females. For the most part, however, the differences were too small to be statistically significant, or to be of much prc~ctical Importance when they were statistically significant. Table 5 lists those items in which statistically significant differences of .10 (or more) occur. Males and females differed significantly on the structure of their music essays. About 65% of the males' essays consisted of two or more single statements compared with 56% of the females' essays. Conversely, 14% of the males' essays consisted of more than one topic and had four or more details on at least one topic compared with 31% of the females' essays with that same degree of complexity. Males and females did not differ significantly in the "orientation" of their music essays. On the letters to the principal, 31% of the females included all three requested elements compared with 20% of the males' letters. Two percent of the males and 4% of the females wrote fully developed letters. 95-038 0 . 77 - 19 PAGENO="0290" 286 Females indicated they write for amusement more often (69%) than do males (52%). About 70% of the females reported they often write notes and letters, messages or directions, while only 32% of the males reported doing so. Table 5 Items for which male and female p-values are statistically significantly different and the differences are also of magnitude .10 or more. Higher Scoring Differences Item Sex in p-values Reading 3 Males .20 l2C Females .14 25 Females .14 26 Females .10 Mathematics 11 Males .15 21 Males .10 29 Males .10 33 Males .14 35 Males .11 44 Males .16 RESULTS BY AGE GROUP Students were asked to record their birth dates on the cover of their test booklets. From this information each student was assigned to an age group for purposes of analysis. The age groups were defined in a manner consistent with NAEP: 13 year olds were defined as anyone born in the calendar year 1963, and the other age groups were defined analo- gously. The resulting sample sizes were large enough to permit making comparisons between Washington 13 and 14 year old eighth graders. The 13 year olds performed somewhat better than did the 14 year olds on nearly every item in all three tests. On all but four items, however, the differences were too small to be statistically significant, or to be practically significant (.10 or more) when they were statistically significant. The four items for which statistically significant differ- ences of .10 or greater occured were Reading Item l4B (.10), Reading Item 20 (.10), Mathematics Item 24 (.11), and Mathematics Item 49A (.12). PAGENO="0291" 287 COSIPARISON OF WASHINGTON RESULTS WITH NAEP RESULTS The performance of Washington students on the items was compared to that of students tested nationally based on the data supplied by NAEP. Because the Washington target population consisted of all eighth graders and the NAEP population consisted of all 13 year olds, comparisons were limited to the common subgroup of both populations -- 13 year old eighth graders. On most items, any differences between the two groups were small enough to be attributed to chance variation. Those items for which the differ- ences were statistically significant and were also of magnitude .10 or greater are listed in Table 6. All differences except two favored the Washington students, the exceptions being Reading Item 3 (highway sign) and Nath Item 15 (1/2 + 1/3). The differences were fairly consistent among males and females. Table 6 Items on which Washington and NAEP p-value differences are statistically significant and are greater than .10. Washington Wales NAEP Males Washington Females MACP Females Washington Total WASP Total Washington Total NAEP West p-value Item Difference5 p-value Iten Differencea p-value Item Difference5 p-value Item Difference5 Reading 3 -.14 5 +.l5 13E +10 148 4.12 [1. Reading 3 -.17 5 +-.14 148 4.12 Reading 3 -.16 .5 4.15 148 4.12 20 4.10 Reading .3 -.13 5 +.17 11 +.l~ 14A 4.13 148 +15 Mathematics 14 +12 15 -.12 18 +13 24 ~.l9 38 ±13 42 +13 45 ~-.13 49A +10 50 +15 Mathematics 15 -.10 10 4.10 24 4.23 38 4.21 39 +11 45 +.lO 49A 4.19 50 +.l3 . Mathematics 14 + .10 15 - .10 10 +12 24 +21 38 4.18 45 +.12 49A +16 50 4.14 ~ Mathematics 7 + .12 8 .14 10 -.12 14 +12 24 +. 31 35 +~3 36 +.l3 45 +13 47 +15 49A +21 50 +16 ~- Writing Music Orient 81 +12 Writing Music Orient 81 +.ll Writing Music Orient Rl 4.12 Writing Music Orient Ml +13 *A minus sign indicates that a smaller proportion of Washington students correctly answered the item than did ;he WASP students; conversely, a plus sign indicates that more Washington students than WASP students correctly answered the item. -10- PAGENO="0292" 288 When Washington students were compared to NAEP results for students in the 15 western states (see Figure 1.) a few more significant differences appeared and they all favored Washington students. Tables 7, 8, and 9 list the comparison p-values for Washington 13 year old eighth graders, national 13 year old eighth graders and western region 13 year old eighth graders on all items. FIGURE 1. PAGENO="0293" Table 7 Item p-values for 13 year old eighth graders )NAEP and Washington) -- Reading Item Washington OS (NAEP) West )NAEP) Reading 16 .90 17 .70 180 .98 lOB .97 18C .89 19 .97 20 .71 210 1.00 218 1.00 21C .98 210 1.00 22 .76 23 .65 24 .89 25 .32 26 .87 27A .93 27B .09 28 .84 29 .93 30 .89 :~ )4*5 .66 .97 .97 .90 .98 *97*5 .99 .97 .77 59*5 .88 .25 .88 * 875* .07 .84 .91 .87 .90 Reading 1 9555 945* 2 955* .91 47*5 4 .89 .90 5 59*5 575* 6 .92 .09 7 375* 545* 8 .95 .93 9 .61~ 10 ~ .86 11 .69 .64n* 120 .81** . 8o~ 128 .85 .80 12C .72 .68 130 .895* 138 .97 .96 l3C .98 .96 130 .88*5 355* 13E *745* *745n 140 795* 745* 148 .60** 5755 15 .88 .87 ~5ALP data marked by double ante risks are stats* sticall y signi ficantly different from the correspond- ing Washington estimates at the level .05. West lOOP) .04 .68 .97 .98 .09 .97 .62 .90*5 1.00 .98 97*5 .73 .61 .87 .235* .86 .87*n .07 .04 .09 .85 9l~~ .90 .90 .97 .34 .80 .74 .93 .91 .96 .69 .90 .74 .74 .83 .74 .95 .98 .98 .94 .83 .87 .72 .90 PAGENO="0294" PAGENO="0295" 291 Table 9 Item p-values for 13 year old eighth graders (NAEP and Washington) -- Writing Item Washington US (NAEP) West (NAEP) Writing . (Music Struct) Ri .02 .02 .01 R2 .60 .60 .59 R3 .06 .08 .07 R4 .24 .20 .22 * R5 .06 .09 .10 R6 .00 .00 .00 (Music Orient) Ri R2 .51 .02 *39** .04** .38** Ų5** R3 .19 .25** * .22 R4 .20 .17 .17 * R5 .07 .07 .11 R6 .00 * .07 Principal ` s Letters Ri .23 .24 .19 R2 .44 .40 .42 R3 .27 .30 33** R4 .05 .05 .04 **i~JAEp data marked by double asterisks are statisti- cally significantly different from the corresponding Washington estimates at the level .05. PAGENO="0296" 292 SUNMARY AND CONCLUSIONS In suary it can be said that Washington 8th grade students performed well on the limited areas tested in the Washington Reading, Mathematics, and Writing achievement survey. Although the items tested are not and were not intended to be comprehensive in coverage, they were none the less identified by Washington educators as being representative of some of the important basic objectives in Washington's schools. The fact that many of the reading items were apparently easy for Washington students (i.e. many high p-values) compared to the math items (i.e. many p-values in the .40 to .60 range) raises a very important consideration. It is almost always necessary to have some point or points of comparison for a measure. A measure of the absolute amount of any quantity usually has limited meaning until or unless it can be interpreted relative to some other known amount. Hence the importance and the purpose of the inclusion of the national and western region results for comparison ~ith the Washington results. These comparisons provide a point of reference for interpreting the Washington results and the comparisons suggest that Washington's 8th graders were generally at or above national and western region results in reading, mathematics, and writing. Of course, classroom teachers and curriculum specialists will have other points of comparison as well, based on their own experiences and knowledge of the capabilities of 8th grade students in particular programs. It is these kinds of comparisons, tempered with professional judgement and experience, that constitute the most appropriate use of these assessment results. PAGENO="0297" 293 NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS / National Assessment Information READING National Assessment has found that, nationwide, an estimated 50, 000 more 9-year-oids were able to respond correctly to a typical reading item in 1975 than in 1971. Moreover, National Assessment found that the average percentage of black 9-year-olde answering reading items correctly increased 4.8 percentage points, while the average reading performance of white 9-year-olds increased by 1.2 percentage points. However, even with the greater increase in reading. skills, black children are still 13 percentage points below their white counterparts in overall reading levels. In the Southeast, the gap between black and white 9-year-olds' performance narrowed, with blacks gaining 7.7 percentage points from 1971 to 1975. The difference in achievement between whites in the Southeast and whites in the rest of the nation stayed much the same. For the two teenage groups assessed, 13- and 17-year-olds performed at about the same levels in both 1971 and 1975.. Some exceptions in 1975: The gap between teenage Southeastern blacks and whites narrowed. In the rest of the nation, reading skills of 13- and 17- year-old blacks declined, Whites in the Southeast improved slightly; achievements of whites in the rest of the country remained about the same. More 17-year-olds in 1975 were able to read basic, everyday items such as a telephone bill or instructions on a can of pet food, Other results: While students in the Southeast are still performing below the national level, the Southeast 9-year-olds show significant gains in reading skills, As a group, girls continue to read better than boys at all age levels. National Assessment studied the achievements of more than 63,000 students -- ages 9, 13 and 17 - in each of two reading assessments, Nationwide, 17-year-old students have improved in the basic reading skills needed to function in today `s world. However -- among these same 17-year-ol.ds - over 21% of the students from the disadvantaged urban areas of our country, nearly 42% of the students who are black and 20% of the students from the Southeast are still functionally illiterate. (ea,,tiaeed) 1860 Lincoln St., Denver, Cob. 80295 . National Assesnment . (303) 893~5200 PAGENO="0298" 294 READING (continued) The National Assessment survey, made for the Right to Read program of the U.S. Office of Education, compared the functional reading performance of 17-year-old students in 1971, 1974 and 1975. From 1971 to 1975 there was: * An average gain of more than 2 percentage points on such basic reading items as street signs, store coupons and telephone directories. * A gain of almost 5 percentage points by black students; white students gained 2 percentage points over the same period. A gain by students living in low-income urban areas of nearly 5 per- centage points, while those from the affluent urban areas showed no gain. A gain by students in the Southeast of over 3 percentage points, while students from the Northeast showed no gain. Students in the West gained almost 3 percentage points; those from the Central part of the country gained about 2 percentage points. Being functionally literate is defined by Right to Read as "being able to perform tasks necessary to function in American society, such as reading news- papers, instructions and even ~ license tests." The National Assessment study included only those types of reading material considered to be at the functional literacy level. Over 4,200 students across the country were sur- veyed in each assessment. The Right to Read program determined that 17-year-old students should be able to answer at least 75% of the questions in the assessment correctly (give correct answers to 64 out of the 86 questions). Any student passing this criterion could reasonably be considered functionally literate. Using this as a guide, about 87% of the 17-year-old students are functionally literate. Among the four geographic regions of the nation, the percentage of literacy ranges from almost 91% in the Central region to 80% in the Southeast. Among white 17-year-old students, almost 92% reached the Right to Read criterion, contrasted with a little more than 58% of the blacks. Ninety-five percent of the urban-fringe students achieved the functional literacy criterion, while only slightly more than 78% of those from the disadvantaged urban areas did so. Fi,,teondingc.cno.en~ont: 1971 Socond c-ending ussonn,nont: 1975 Thic-d c-coding o,ooos,nont: ochodnilod 1980 Fic-st functiunnl litoc-nuc- esocconnent: 1974 Socond functionul litoc-ucy uc,cun,nont: 1975 Thic-d fonctionul litoc-osy csnunn,nont: ponding PAGENO="0299" 295 WRITING In a survey of writing skills taken first in 1970 and repeated in 1974, National Assessment found that, in 1974, students aged 13 and 17 used a simpler vocabulary, wrote in a shorter, "primer-like" style and had more incoherent paragraphs than their counter-parts in school four years earlier. Only the 9-year-aide' papers showed an improvement, with the proportion of good writers ri~sing in 1974. The writing assessment, which involved 80,000 students, included essay- type questions of three age levels -- 9- and 13-year-olds and 17-year-olds who were still in school. The writing of l7-year-olds, nearing high school graduation, declined in quality between the two assessments. The 1974 students showed an increase in awkwardness and run-on sentences and a tendency to write as they would speak. Writing performance for l3-year-olds also declined. On the average, the 1974 essays were shorter, less sophisticated in expression and more awkwardly written than the 1970 essays Researchers were optimistic with the new data that showed 9'-year~-olds improving slightly over the four-year span. And there was a feeling that the mechanics of writing - punctuation, capitalization, verb agreement, spelling - "seem to be well in hand." What did concern educators and the public was the decline in coherency in teenagers' writing. Speculation as to reasons for the decline frequently singled out society itself: the influence of TV and advertising language and its abbreviated, fragmented sentences, together with continuity sensed visually rather than through writing. Textbooks anh teachers, some writing experts said, are not keeping up with the language of their students. Another speculation was the fact that there just isn't the need to communicate through the written word: the telephone is quicker and easier than writing a letter. The best way to reverse the decline, language experts generally agreed, lies in "teaching writing by making kids write" and "by having more skilled teachers of writing" to juggle the incongruities of what is in textbooks and what youths read in everyday life. In 1974, females were still writing better essays than males at all three ages. In the 9-year-old group, the writing performance of both males and females improved. At the 13-year-old level, both males and females declined in writing abilities, with males declining further than females in performance. At age 17 the female decline was greater than that of the males, but "sh~" was still writing better than "he" in 1974. Ffrstw~iti,,g,,,,s,s,,,,,t: 1970 ~ 1974 Thi,d ~ ~ ~ 1979 1880 Lincoln St., Denver, Cola. 80295 . National Aseesament . (303) 893-5200 PAGENO="0300" 296 MATH EMATI Cs National Assessment's mathematics survey,conducted during the 1972-73 school year, involved more than 90,000 students ages 9, 13 and 17 and young adults 26-35. The math items required skills ranging from basic computational ability to knowledge of trigonometry and practical "consumer' problems. Results show that the majority of 17-year-olds and young adults have mastered the fundamentals of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division when presented as conrputational exercises. But when it comes to applying these basic skills in everyday situations, these same young Americans flounder: Less than one-half of the 17-year-olds and adults could successfully determine the most economical size of a product. Only 10 percent of the 17-year-olds and 20 percent of,the adults could correctly calculate a taxi fare. Only 1 percent of the l7-year-olds and 16 percent of the adults could balance a checkbook. 45 percent of the young adults could not read a federal income tax table correctly. There is a difference between the sexes in consumer-mathematics skills. It is usually assumed that women do a major part of the buying, but males consistently outperform females on exercises involving buying and household situations. . .and females also show a drop in consumer math skills as they grow older. The NAEP survey indicates that the nation's youthful consumer has difficulty with any form of mental arithmetic. All age levels score low on the ability to estimate or approximate whether an answer is reasonable -- a skill that is considered vital for consumer survival. Adults have greater trouble with multiplication problems than do 13- and 17-year-olds, and they also fall below l7-year-olds' performance in working with decimals. Whites perform 3 to 4 percentage points above the national level, while blacks are 14 to 21 points below. Young people from the lower-socioeconomic areas perform 10-16 percentage points below the national level; those from affluent areas are from 6-8 percentage points above, The Northeast is above the national level at all ages; the Southeast is about 6 percentage points below; the Central and West areas are split: at the school-age levels, individuals in Central regions are a point * or two above the nation, while those in the West are slightly below. Adults in both regions perform above the national level. Fj~t ~eethe,e,etk~ esse,sneet: 1973 Se~oed nethenetirs eoeeoeent: eehedoled 1978 1860 Lincoln St., Denver, Cole. 80295 . National Assessment . (303) 893-5200 PAGENO="0301" 297 SCIENCE Science knowledge in America's schools is declining. National Assessment officials questioned 90,000 students, ages 9, 13 and 17, about biology, chendstry, physics and other science-related topics. Study results were collected during the 1969-70 and 1972-73 school years, then compared. Based on the estimated 3½ million school-age students represented by the groups tested, the results show that: Approximately 65,000 fewer 9-year-olds nationally could answer a typical science question correctly in 1973 than they could in 1970. * Approximately 70,000 fewer l3-year-olds could respond acceptably to a typical science question in 1973 than in 1970. Approximately 80,000 fewer l7-year-olds could answer the survey questions correctly in 1973 than in 1970. Other findings of the NItEP science assessment: At age 17, big-city students show the greatest decline, dropping from just above the national average to 2 percent below. Inner-city areas are well below the nation and are not improving. Suburban students at all three age levels perform above the national level, although their rate of performance is declining at the same rate as the nation's. * Males and females decline at all three age levels in answering typical science questions. The performance of 9-year'-old boys is 2-3 percent above that of girls, 13-year-old boys perform 4 per- cent above girls, and at age 17 the average male outperforms the average female by 6 percent, The percentage of rural students who could answer a typical science question increased at all three age levels, a trend that, if it continues, could bring rural students up to the national average by 1983. In a study of regional trends in science achievement for students aged 9, 13, and 17, National Assessment found that between 1970 and 1973 declines in science achievement were smaller in the Southeast -- an area which was undergoing major desegregation -- than in the rest of the country. During that period, science achievement in the South did not decline as much as it did in the rest of the nation. In fact, the science knowledge of black students in elementary school (age 9) actually improved. (eeotieeed) 1860 Lincoln St., Denver, Cob. 80295 . National Asaesament . (303) 893~52O0 PAGENO="0302" 298 SCIENCE (continued) The data also revealed that although Southeastern 13- and 17-year-old blacks' science skills had declined during those four years, the declines were less than were declines of black teenagers elsewhere in the nati~on. Student performance in the northeastern, central and western areas of the country all declined between 1970 and 1973. Except at age 9, the western level of performance declined the most, about 3. 5 percent. How well are today's public schools -- and society, in general -- equipping ~ voters to deal with the many environmental issues that are appearing on the ballot? National Assessment has found that, on the average, one-third of the nation's 17-year-olds and young adults aged 26 to 35 could not answer simple cause-and-effect questions about the environment. Thirteen-year- olds did even more poorly: only half could answer a typical ecology question. A major shift in science education has taken place over the past 20 years. New science curricula emphasize an "inquiry approach," utilizing scientific apparatus and laboratory techniques and procedures as learning devices. National Assessment assessed the abilities of 9-, 13- and 17-year-old students to use the inquiry skills stressed in the "new" science. Some findings: There is a wide gap between the ability of students to demonstrate procedures and their ability to successfully explain these procedures. At all three age levels, the percentage of students able to do things is much greater than the percentage of students able to explain how, why or what they are doing. Blacks and females almost always demonstrate scientific abilities below the national median. Fust science ussessotcut: 1970 Second science sosessotont: 1973 Thied science cnsessnscnt: 1977 PAGENO="0303" 299 CAREER DEVELOPMENT According to results of National Assessment's 1974 survey of career and occupational development (COD), 44% of American 17-year-aids desire a profes- sional career while census figures indicate that only 20-25% of currently etisting jobs are professional or managerial. The COD study involved some 100,000 individuals at age 9, 13, 17 and young adults, 26-35. The survey sought to determine the extent to which young Americans have the abilities to make wise and informed choices for entry into the labor force. For the assessment, career development was defined as accurate self- evaluation, thoughtful career planning, realistic attitudes toward work, employment-seeking skills, effective work habits and those skills, such as computation and writing, that were judged to be basic for a wide variety of jobs. National Assessment found that: One-third of the adults and more than half the 17-year-olds had difficulty writing a job application and figuring a finance charge. More than 80% of the 13- and 17-year-olds had had some paid experience. Less than half the 17-year-olds had taken an aptitude test and only 16% had discussed the results with a counselor. Those with the least education and lowest income were also the ones most lacking the skills necessary to improve their condition. Only 54% of the 17-year-olds could correctly answer five questions about the amount of training needed for a specific, commonplace job. Nearly three-fourths'of the 17-year-olds and more than half the 13- year-olds could name two places to find information about jobs, More than half of the adults said they had taken some kind of continuing education and those who had taken such courses generally performed better than those who did not. Ironically, those who had not graduated from high school and who theoretically had the most to gain from adult education or on-the-job training, were the least likely to have had either. At all ages, males did better than females on computation-measurement questions and females showed greater ability on written communication skills, The male-female difference on computation-measurement was distinctly larger for adults than for the other three ages assessed. N~ti~~~l ~ ~,iIl shill, s~d sUit~d,s sgsi~ is 1980. Bn~saae ss~ssr edocatios oss jest b~gissstisg to oppeo is sohool, is the tony 1970o, the 1974 oososs,stst soul tests bestehesoth ogoisot ohith tht psogneas of tosoyn edoyotios too be oaenetL 1860 Lincoln St., Denver, Cob. 80295 . National Assessment . (303) 893-5200 PAGENO="0304" 300 BY AGE GROUPS What do today `s students know. . . and what can they do? 9-year-olds have learned many things in their first few years of schooling such as the basic reading and writing skills. 13-year-olds can read, write, add, subtract, divide and multiply -- if told to do so. But they don't, by themselves, use these skills in order to solve everyday problems. 17-year-olds have mastered the basic skills and know many specific facts in all school subjects, but they have difficulty organizing and applying their skills and knowledge. Some of the highlights from a study by National Assessment that summarizes results from all previous assessments to develop a profile of each age group: NAEP found that 9-year-olds can read simple stories and write letters to their friends, and they know a variety of subject-matter facts. They are tolerant of people `s cultural differences and believe in an orderly society. Over the last seven years, the reading and writing skills of 9-year-olds have improved. Many 9-year-olds (more than two-thirds) can: Some (approximately 33% to 67%): Can add a series of three- and four-digit numbers. Can subtract two-digit numbers. Can do single-digit multiplication word problems. Believe that every person's vote should count equally in an election. Understand that the federal, state and local governments have different functions. Understand taxation and credit buying. Know that there are 50 states in the nation. But few (less than one-third): Can subtract three- and four digit . Understand detailed written instructions. numbers. . Can organize and elaborate ideas in Can do multiplication and division writing. or understand fractions. Know the head of a state is called a governor. (~ti~d) Tell time. Add two-digit numbers. Tell the difference between even and odd numbers. Name the President and generally know how he is chosen. Read and comprehend literal facts in simple, brief stories. Write without making punctuation or word choice errors. 1860 Liscsls St., Desver, Cats. 80285 Natiosal Asseamest (303) 893-5200 PAGENO="0305" * Can add, subtract, multiply and divide whole numbers. * Can make change. * Underatand basic facts about the solar system and universe. * Know the functions of the major parts of the body. * Have had paying jobs. Understand the basic functions of the court system. Can use basic reference materials. But few l3-year-olds: Can organize and elaborate on ideas in writing. * Understand the structure and function of the legislative branch of government. Understand and compute with fractions and work word problems. Can manipulate algebraic expressions. Understand basic nutrition. Understand specific facts about the earth. Can read and understand detailed instructions. * . Understand the basic principles of economics. Know very much about the atom. Can add, subtract, multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals. Can multiply fractions. Can solve simple word problems requiring multiplication. Understand some facts about nutrition, illness and disease. Understand materials such as newspaper ads and telephone bills. But few l7-year-olds: Can calculate the area of a square given its perimeter. Can simplify algebraic expressions. Can convert Fahrenheit to Centigrade given the conversion formula. Some 17-year-olds: Know about human reproduction. Can convert decimals to common fractions. Can organize and elaborate ideas In writing. Can make inferences after reading a long paragraph. Can add fractions. Know the functions of the legisla- tive branch of government. Have discussed aptitude test results with counselors. Can write excellent unified and focused essays. 301 BY AGE GROUPS (~fi~d) Thirteen-year-olds have the skills and knowledge necessary to accomplish routine tasks at home and at school. They have developed come study skills and know a variety of useful facts; however, the idea that they could use these skills and knowledge to make their daily lives more interesting and productive is not always obvious to them. Many l3-year-olds: Some 13-yesr-olds: Seventeen-year-olds have some knowledge of the world of work, have thought about their futures and know what attitudes and behaviors are empected of them in our society. They know a number of facts about our government and legal system and know a number of specific scientific facts. They hare difficulty reading long passages and hare limited vocabularies in writing. They can read, write and compute in well-structured situations, but they hare difficulty applying their knowledge to new situations. Indications are that 17-year-olds' knowledge levels have slipped slightly over the past seven years. Many l7-year-olds; 95-038 0 - 77 - 20 PAGENO="0306" 302 CITIZENSHIP BICENTENNIAL SURVEY According to a special Bicentennial survey given to 13- and l7-year-olds, National Assessment found that just over half of the nation's 17-year-old students know that each state has two U.S. senators and that the number of U. S. representatives from each state is determined by the state's population. Only about 50% of both the 13- and 17-year-dde know that the President cannot cippoint people to Congress. Even in light of recent political history 14% of the 17-year-dde and 12% of the 13-year-olds think the President of the United States does not always have to obey the lows of the land. In fact, the students place Army generals and the President on about the same level: 12% of the 17-year-olds and 13% of the 13-year-olds think that Army generals don't always have to obey the law. When asked whether Congress or the President has the right to stop radio, television or newspapers from criticizing government operations, over 80% of the l7-year-olds and over 70% of the l3.-year~-olds recognize that such an act is against the rights of a free press. 32% of the 17-year-old students do not think it is important to vote in all elections nor is it necessary to vote if it appears that the candidate of their choice isn't going to win. Half the 13'-year-olds think it is against the law to start a new political party, and few of the students at either age know what steps Congress is empowered to take to stop a president from fighting a war without congressional approval. When asked whether getting a job should depend on one `s sex, race) political opinion, religion or abilities and skills, nearly all students agree that the determining factor should be one's abilities and skills. However, when asked: "If you saw several students fighting in the hallway, what would you do?" only 37% of the l7-year-olds say they would either look for someone in authority or try to stop the fight themselves. The National Assessment findings are from a select portion of a major assessment in citizenship and social studies to be released in late-l977. The Bicentennial survey was given to 5,000 students during the 1976 spring school semester. The lowest scores for each age group are in response to the question: "Suppose the President sends troops to another country to fight. What action can the Congress take to stop U.S. participation in the fighting?" The fact that Congress can exercise its power of the purse by refusing to provide money for further military action is known by only 16% of the l3-year-olds and 22% of the 17-year-olds. ~ 1970 ~ ~ 1972 S,c,~d ~ sCdi~s ~ (~o~b9~~d): 1976 (R~s~ilt. t~ b~ ~ l~t~ 1977.) 1860 Lincoln St., Denver, Cob. 80295 . National Assessment . (303) 893-5200 PAGENO="0307" 303 3t~JOdu;R~, e~v,ces 2) 535-3968 July 16, 1977 Senator Claireborne Pell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20001 Dear Senator Pell: According to a recent article appearing in the July 16 edition of the Minneapolis Star concerning a Federal test for highschool students, featuring Ms. Mary F. Berry, you are quite in favor of Federal competency exams. I could not agree with you more, because I am a former educator who became quite disgusted with education and teaching and quit to enter industry where I am now a machine design engineer. One of the main reasons for quitting was the mistaken notion on the part of schools and their administrators and counselors who erroneious believed that people going on to vocational schools to learn a skilled trade, do not have to perform well in such academic skills as high reading ability, algebra, physics and other academic topics. The truth of the matter is that industry is crying for people who are competent in those skills. In fact, I am currently working with several industries in the Twin Cities, who want me to develop some instructional programs for them to use in training their own competent people. The reason is that the highschools are turning out a product whith very little on which to base a good vocational program and become valuable to industry, with 5ilable skills. They are disencharted wven with the vocational schools themselves because they are not insisting on the right levels of skills that are of value to industry. However, unless the secondary schools turn out people with adequate basic academic skills, the vocational schools can hardly turn out qualified people. I do know from experience that a machinist, draftsmen, welders, mechanics---virtually all skilled t5radesmen need adequate functional reading skills, and it is suggested that such tests reflect the functional level as it applies to an individual brcoming a productive member of society. I have already had some communication with Senator Humphrey on the matter, and I have already appeared before the Minnesota Sentae education sub-committee, as indicated by the attached article from the Minneapolis Star. I will be looking forward to your reply. Sjiibe ly, Richard Becker CC: 1 file IMPS 1 Sen. Hubert Humphrey 6425 Marlin Drive 1 Hyman Rickover Brooklyn Center, MN 55429 1 Mary F. Berry PAGENO="0308" 304 f the end of - ~ ti ~ s~rond Mc~le stated t1 t -~ the article, Mi `b ~± manic'1 S in ~ h d Sb n the sc'1 ~ teqt ed n tt~c1 r s-tree princi- 5t cdi of ~ I l~n ~ue~~n pies `lie rhead 1roJCrtiO trans pares CiLs taken frofl~Lfii0~t0os `t~ ~ I P J wi oh s a corn On ~ndu5triai standards -h aSu'l the ttbibiC" In the preface of ~t0states~h1at it IS of the nachine trades t~t Mcli anic 1 engin "A reference book for d btachinist5" ~ ByMIttEMcCM~,.. eer, Draft5m~ ~oo1mak- all of the basic ~ Star _taf biter The book contaiflS knot" 00 virtual'l-Y a Readiag. writir.g and arithmetic informati on they d t whether toOls, ~`~th evcr~tS i'~g used in ~ i cipies s~ ecif i- C ii materiai5 ech,nn ~ W~~1 ers shafts cations on threads, `over 2 000 pages. I and mud more dOh ~. ~ idu is ork- I F C ~ is ~ familiar ~ this p list ts~seit-5r at Arabs Suvior High ing in the trades b~co tion because they hOO5~ out 01 30 students valuable source of inform refercflce when ~ from Uob Genes W My Vat- ~jll be expecte~ o And, unless the mi- Ssy," a public broadcasting series ever the need an dog ability and a good appearing on RICA-TV. vidual bias a good rea~h ~~ckgroufld, that MRS. CAKEd said (bet in Sop- a; ~ nre is going to b mbe 95 ~ ~ ft MA ~Y CHILDS \ ~ re 1° \ ~ - , ~ c- ~i~t -. - th p t t w is going to be of lit e upelliep is 0 lost art," ohs said. entertained. Too snuck TV is a value to an employ er. `Punctuation is a eIOsicry. t real problem" t has been said takes weeks of grvvvalwork e' RisbardBcclner, afcnswrindss- , ~ 1~5 that - -- -.-- ~ tel-I enr--atioe ` by some e uc 3 1 t ~ v only Soreflen and super yeas t-i2btt" teachers end adintanratorn as- ` ors need the basic * Nine valuators coat parents seroeocaaosr!susaetsf~lot V , to use that - were subtialt-ci to tietits' blots P~trtdt' he able to eadTtTi. skills a - not- th It I v - Id refere e-e Sue' i I I - the case- gesides moe' * aclties'n,uet it tile sct,oots. ~ h-sc a,eastecI~fleIlinjIlo3e e -, attain their m II gh I )ht ~ o~wion by promo ion p p 1 0 7TTJJ T ~rom ithit And this I y ~- T~_ romotion is ~ en only p ~ of when as indit3-'~ 1 de on Joel S~cttas the 4th-prude curly childhood edecatisa at the strates excepti~n~ teocher solo seas fired Onli theta University of Minnesota, suggest- led e and capabilitY S i rehired by the Aeoka'tteenepiu ed that elvoeniur,- siedenis are come front the School Board after hr s-sos ac~ being educated "itisaid- down." can on y usi his `j,~~o1 cusad c-f abaistt his otetdvil-. said Instead 51 se much eusplasia at an ref ei'Cnde m ` t on * teachars do rut have 500511 time early age en readeip, he said, Tine only cOnn - - to specst with individual sin- store time should he spent or' ,~` - t the handbook has dents. probtee.su lying and inquiry. lie - , t - onal edttcatDn He atsu vuict liar curricnlaes said the cun-leulnos in curly years , with ~`0C' , - `tors * Iron large for teachers to du en should he hroustsned In include is that the ins d adequate oh. and hat cleans sines sciences and social studies. c cotne from industrY at~s - ore geuernlly too large. -- - - they know fronl cXI)eIienc as to what skills.are re- A - result the handbo0~ S - quired for suede55 in the g d11 be expectcd to turn to it ot requir~ purchas°~ 3td the informaton he needs. PAGENO="0309" 305 ~ L~-4J-.-~~ ?-~.a 2 (~ J~