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ERIC Number: ED276721
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1986-Nov
Pages: 40
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Considering Policy Options for Testing Teachers.
Murray, Stephen L.
This paper focuses specifically on paper and pencil testing as a tool contributing to a quality teaching force. Information is presented for those who have responsibility or interest in state level policies for using such tests to promote educational quality. Using institutional stages of a teacher's career as an organizing scheme for test use, the paper provides a framework for examining a range of policy options, discusses requirements for tests to support different decisions, and identifies issues important to implementing these options. Focus is upon paper and pencil testing as a policy tool because of the tremendous amount of interest it has received in the past few years. It is advocated that testing be considered as only one of many means to control teacher quality. As a backdrop for examining teacher testing policy, three fundamental questions are posed: (1) Why test teachers? (2) What decisions will teacher testing support? and (3) What are the requirements for tests? A framework addressing these dimensions of teacher testing policy is offered to help policy makers analyze the appropriateness of specific policy options. It offers information for: (1) examining whether a testing option under review will be consistent with the underlying purposes of the policies; (2) identifying decisions supported by the testing; and (3) revealing technical and legal requirements of the tests to be used. Guidelines are offered for avoiding the primary pitfalls of teacher testing programs. (JD)
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Policymakers
Language: English
Sponsor: Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC.
Authoring Institution: Northwest Regional Educational Lab., Portland, OR.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A