科技与教学论坛第44期—— Testing and Assessment at the State and Federal Level in the United States:Historical Trends and New Developments

讲座内容： Prior to the Improving America’s School Act of 1994, testing in the United States was largely a local district concern, not a state or federal issue.This, however, changed in 1994, when the federal legislation initiated state level tests in reading and mathematics at grades 3, 5, 8, and in high school, tests based on statewide curriculum standards.Tests were designed to track needed improvements in student achievement levels rather than to make decisions about students ( for example, college admissions). In 2001, the No Child Left Behind Act was implemented which increased the amount of federally mandated testing, initiated a process for identifying low performing schools and districts, and imposed consequences on repeatedly low-performing schools. The current presidential administration has added new reforms under the title “Race to the Top.” Under this legislation, there is a move to national (rather than state) standards, a move toward common items for all statewide tests to make the various statewide tests more similar, computerization of test administration accompanied by innovative new item types, an openness to using growth scores, and an emphasis on test scores as a partial basis for teacher and adminstrator performance evaluation.