High-stakes testing has emerged as a central feature of the educational landscape in primary and secondary schools in the United States. Despite this prominence, there is a paucity of guidance available to practitioners on how they can best make predictions about student performance based on available test data. While achievement gaps based on…

Although it is important to evaluate the intended outcomes of high-stakes testing, it is also important to evaluate the unintended outcomes, which might be as important or more important than the intended outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the unintended outcomes of high-stakes testing, including those related to: (a) using…

There has recently been a growing movement within psychology toward placing a greater emphasis on the positive aspects of human nature. This movement, known as positive psychology, focuses on the scientific study of human strengths and virtues as well as the variables that promote positive traits, emotions, and institutions. The purpose of this…

This overview article addresses the different meanings of high takes testing, which takes into consideration accountability at different levels, such as teacher, school, and state. In this regard, "high-stakes" may mean different things in different states or countries. We will advance an argument for why school psychologists should (a) be…

The purpose of this investigation was to compare instructional effectiveness and efficiency among the use of phonic analysis, incremental rehearsal, and traditional drill and practice word reading techniques during repeated reading lessons. Sixty primary grade children who had difficulty acquiring basic oral reading fluency skills were randomly…

Knowledge of evidence-based pharmacological and psychosocial treatments is essential to carrying out roles and responsibilities within school-based practice. The purpose of this paper is to review the level of support for three psychotropic drugs reported in the literature to treat symptoms of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).…

This article intends to help school psychologists understand the nature of high stakes tests, methods for analyzing and reporting high stakes test data, standards for tests and program evaluation, and application of appropriate practices to program planning and evaluation. Although it is readily acknowledged that high stakes test data are not…

Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) is emerging at middle/secondary school settings. The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability of a concept maze task to assist middle school teachers in making accurate decisions regarding student content learning. A total sample of 240 middle-school students were randomly assigned to take a…

Addressing increasing levels of disruptive behavior and improving discipline is a national matter. The challenge is intensified by teachers' concerns about the growing inclusion of students with emotional and behavioral problems in general education classrooms and the general levels of diversity common in America's schools. Removing children with…

Validity and reliability of the new high stakes testing systems initiated in school systems across the United States in recent years in response to the accountability features mandated in the No Child Left Behind Legislation largely depend on item response theory and new rules of measurement. Reliability and validity in item response theory and…

This article describes a study using the Application of Cognitive Functions Scale (ACFS), a curriculum-based dynamic assessment (DA) for use with young children. The ACFS has been used primarily with children in the US. This study explores the validity of the ACFS with a sample of 89 Dutch children aged 5-6 from six regular primary schools. The…

This article examines the ways in which NCLB and the movement towards large-scale assessment systems are based on Weber's concept of formal rationality and tradition of scientific management. Building on these ideas, the authors use Ritzer's McDonaldization thesis to examine some of the core features of large-scale assessment and accountability…

I review the literature on the impact on student achievement of high-stakes testing. Its popularity as a mechanism for holding educators accountable has triggered studies to examine whether its promise to increase student learning has been fulfilled. The review concludes there is no consistent evidence to suggest high-stakes testing leads to…

School psychologists are well prepared to provide leadership in an era when gathering and interpreting data is center-stage in education reform. The leadership literature is not well known in school psychology and a summary of major leadership theories pertinent to the practice of school psychology is provided. Strategies for leading change in a…

School psychologists (N = 161) completed a questionnaire regarding the category of other health impairment (OHI) and classroom accommodations for children with health conditions. School psychologists indicated that they were familiar with OHI and often used the category. More school psychologists were involved in OHI placements for students with…