1. Mini Project I-- Evaluation of a Standardized Test By Marcia Luebbe

2. California Achievement Tests, Fifth Edition Published by CTBS Macmillan/McGraw Hill 1992 $90.30 for 30 third-graders, using consumable books Requires 330 minutes to administer

3. Description of Purpose and Nature of Test “Designed to measure achievement in the basic skills taught in schools throughout the nation” Applicable for Kindergarten through Twelfth grades

4. Content/Appropriateness Basic skills K-12 Complete Battery: Reading, Language, Spelling, Math, Study Skills, Science, Social Studies Basic Battery: Reading, Language, Spelling, Math, Study Skills Survey Performance Component

5. Content/Appropriateness Review by Bruce G. Rogers, UNI, Cedar Falls, IA “Well-developed achievement series whose authors are responsive to suggestions for improvement “Suitable for schools that emphasize the ‘three R’s’ across the curriculum” Grade 9 assessment may have questionable appropriateness 12 to 25 constructed response items per subject

6. Content and Appropriateness Review by Victor Willson, Texas A&M, College Station, TX “As good as any norm-reference multi-level basic skills test” K-1 tends to be give somewhat poor results “Good, interpretable test”

7. Technical Evaluation Types: –Objective Mastery –Grade Equivalent (also Grade Mean Equivalent) –National Percentile (also Median National Percentile) –Number-Correct Score –National Stanine (also Mean National Stanine) –Scale Score (also Mean Scale Score) –Normal Curve Equivalent (also Mean Normal Curve Equivalent)

8. Standardization Sample Spring 1991 –115,888 students –K-12, geographic groupings –734 Schools responded to questionnaire –261 Public Schools, 112 Private/Parochial Schools, all volunteer Fall 1991 –109,825 –K-12 –265 Public Schools, 96 Private/Parochial Schools

9. Factors Considered Microcomputers in home Average annual teaching salary Mobility Ethnic ELL Working parents Single-parent homes Number of children in family %-age of students receiving ADC Parent Jobs Parent Education

10. Judges--Three Groups Bias--41 reviewers, ethnic balance Content--20 content and curriculum specialists Teachers--17 at appropriate grade levels

11. Reliability KR20 Split-half coefficients Conclusion:.94 -.98 on total battery, spring, fall, and winter

12. Validity Item-by-item bias Ethnic –Black –Hispanic –Other Gender Results: “little evidence of biases”

13. Summary Anthony J. Nitko, University of Pittsburgh –Strong assessment tool –Be careful about educational decisions for individuals –CHECK YOUR CURRICULUM FOR ALIGNMENT. The CAT5 matches most 1980’s curriculums, changes may (and should) have been made to curriculum since 1980.

14. Summary Robert F. McMorris, EdPsych/Stats, State Univ. of New York, and others –“New-questions” sentiment –Great effort to follow curriculum –CTB provides terrific assistance –Fairly small number of items per objective

15. Summary Marcia Luebbe, Curriculum Director and Educator, Pierce Public Schools –Good tool –Easy for teachers to interpret –Some concern with support personnel