Educational Tests and Assessment Resource Guide

From ProCon.org
Standardized tests have been a part of American education since the mid-1800s. Their use skyrocketed after 2002's No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) mandated annual testing in all 50 states. US students slipped from 18th in the world in math in 2000 to 31st place in 2009, with a similar decline in science and no change in reading. Failures in the education system have been blamed on rising poverty levels, teacher quality, tenure policies, and increasingly on the pervasive use of standardized tests.

Buros is an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to improve the science and practice of testing and assessment.

ETS is a private nonprofit organization devoted to educational measurement and research, primarily through testing. We develop and administer more than 50 million achievement and admissions tests each year at more than 9,000 locations in the United States and 180 other countries. We develop and administer a broad range of educational products and services for government agencies, academic institutions and corporations, including the TOEFL® and TOEIC® tests, the GRE® General and Subject Tests and The Praxis Series™ assessments.

The National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest) works to end the misuses and flaws of standardized testing and to ensure that evaluation of students, teachers and schools is fair, open, valid and educationally beneficial.

Located within UCLA's Graduate School of Education & Information Studies, CSE/CRESST has long contributed to the development of scientifically based evaluation and testing techniques, vigorously encouraged the development, validation and use of sound data for improved accountability and decision making, and aggressively explored technological applications to improve assessment and evaluation practice.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (see Organizational Chart) is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations. NCES is located within the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences.

Pearson is the global leader in clinical assessment, providing a wide range of assessments for personality, behavior, ability, achievement, speech and language, and career interests.

The International Test Commission (ITC) is an “Association of national psychological associations, test commissions, publishers and other organizations committed to promoting effective testing and assessment policies and to the proper development, evaluation and uses of educational and psychological instruments.”

The American Educational Research Association (AERA), a national research society, strives to advance knowledge about education, to encourage scholarly inquiry related to education, and to promote the use of research to improve education and serve the public good.

The American Evaluation Association is an international professional association of evaluators devoted to the application and exploration of program evaluation, personnel evaluation, technology, and many other forms of evaluation. Evaluation involves assessing the strengths and weaknesses of programs, policies, personnel, products, and organizations to improve their effectiveness. A

Our mission is to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives.

Established in 1992, The Association of Test Publishers is a non-profit organization representing providers of tests and assessment tools and/or services related to assessment, selection, screening, certification, licensing, educational or clinical uses.

The National Board on Educational Testing and Public Policy monitors tests for appropriate use and technical adequacy. The Board focuses primarily on tests that are highly consequential for students, teachers, and schools.

the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) is a professional organization for individuals involved in assessment, evaluation, testing, and other aspects of educational measurement.

The National Education Association (NEA), the nation's largest professional employee organization, is committed to advancing the cause of public education

Within the Office of College and Career Readiness, the Assessment section provides professional services related to the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

Missouri Standards for Teacher Education Programs