ERIC Number: ED326575
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1989
Pages: 16
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Examining the Reliability of a State-Mandated Basic Skills Test for a Sample of Special Needs Students.
Terrasi, Salvatore
This study examined the consistency of classification for a sample of special needs students on the state-mandated Massachusetts Basic Skills Inventory (BSI). The study sample consisted of 172 special education students (114 males and 58 females) from 15 elementary schools in a large urban school district in Massachusetts, who took the state-mandated basic skills tests in the fall of 1988. There were 81 students in grade 3 and 91 students in grade 6. All students in the sample received resource room services because of deficits in reading, language arts, or math. Because of their differential academic skills, all of the students did not participate in all areas of the BSI testing. Seventy-two third graders and 77 sixth graders took the BSI reading test, and 80 third graders and 89 sixth graders took the BSI math test. The percentage of correct scores was analyzed via a computer for each grade and subject area using the state-mandated cutoff of 65%. The computer program output included an agreement coefficient for each individual, a mean coefficient of agreement for the group, the kappa for the test, and an estimate of reliability. Results indicate acceptable levels of consistency as shown by the agreement coefficients and kappa coefficients. Implications for the participation of special needs students in state-mandated basic skills testing programs are discussed. Three data tables are included. (RLC)
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A