Interpreting Standardized Test Scores

Craig A. Mertler is currently an Associate Professor of Action Research and Quantitative Methods at Barry University in Miami, Florida. He began his career as a high school biology teacher. He has been an educator for 37 years-27 of those in higher education at Bowling Green State University, the University of West Georgia, Lynn University, Arizona State University, and Barry University, and 12 years as an administrator (department chair, doctoral program director, and education dean). Over his career, he has taught courses focused on the application of action research to promote educator empowerment, school improvement, and job-embedded professional development, as well as classroom assessment, research methods, and statistical analyses. He has served as the research methodology expert and/or chair on more than 120 doctoral dissertations and master's theses. He is the author of 28 books, 9 invited book chapters, and 25 refereed journal articles. He has also presented more than 40 research papers at professional meetings around the country, as well as internationally. He has also delivered 25 invited presentations, including numerous keynote addresses and international addresses. He conducts workshops for in-service educational professionals (at all levels) on classroom-based action research and on the topics of classroom assessment and assessment literacy, as well as data-driven educational decision making. His primary research and consulting interests include classroom-based action research, data-driven educational decision making, professional learning communities, and classroom teachers' assessment literacy. In his leisure time, he enjoys playing golf and traveling with his family. Dr. Mertler can be reached at craig.mertler@gmail.com for consulting, professional development, and speaking engagements. Additionally, you can visit his website at www.craigmertler.com.

Preface SECTION ONE: OVERVIEW OF STANDARDIZED TESTING: CONCEPTS AND TERMINOLOGY 1. What Is "Standardized" Testing? What Makes a Test "Standardized"? A Brief History of Standardized Testing in American Education How Standardized Tests Are Developed Test Bias Types of Standardized Tests Based on Purpose Types of Standardized Tests Based on Scores Summary Activities for Application and Reflection 2. The Importance of Standardized Testing Appropriate Uses of Standardized Testing in Education Misuses of Standardized Testing in Education Why Educators Dislike Standardized Testing Why Educators (Should) Like Standardized Testing Summary Activities for Application and Reflection 3. Standardized Test Administration and Preparation Standardized Administration Procedures Testwiseness Skills Do's and Dont's of Test Preparation "Teaching to the Test" Versus "Teaching to the Standards"- A Final Word Summary Activities for Application and Reflection SECTION TWO: STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES AND THEIR INTERPRETATIONS 4. Test Reports Overview of Test Reports Individual Student Reports Class Reports Building- and District-Level Reports Summary Activities for Application and Reflection 5. Criterion-Referenced Test Scores and Their Interpretations What Do Criterion-Referenced Test Scores Tell Us? Selected-Response Test Items Constructed-Response Test Items The Nature of Cut Scores Summary Activities for Application and Reflection 6. Norm-Referenced Test Scores and Their Interpretations What Do Norm-Referenced Scores Tell Us? The Nature of Norm Groups Types of Norm-Referenced Scores Standard Error of Measurement and Confidence Intervals Summary Activities for Application and Reflection SECTION THREE: USING STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES IN INSTRUCTIONAL DECISION MAKING 7. Group-Level Decision Making Data-Driven Decision Making A Process for Focusing on Group Instruction Summary Activities for Application and Reflection 8. Student-Level Decision Making A Process for Focusing on Individual Instruction (Intervention) Summary Activities for Application and Reflection 9. Value-Added Analysis and Interpretation What Is "Value-Added" Analysis? A Process for Value-Added Decision Making Summary Activities for Application and Reflection SECTION FOUR: CASE STUDIES: INTERVIEWS WITH TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS District and School Profiles Interview Transcripts: Teachers Interview Transcripts: Administrators Glossary References Index About the Author

"Craig A. Mertler's approach would reduce your stress level as his book walks the reader through the various assessments often encountered in schools and helps the reader make better use of the information embedded in accountability reports. The book is well-organized and provides clear and thorough descriptions of the myriad terms the reader will encounter with assessments." -Lane B. Mills, THE SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR -- Lane B. Mills * The School Administrator *