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Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; College Readiness; Evidence; Educational Change; Instructional Improvement; Higher Education; Secondary Education; Standard Setting; Career Readiness; Validity; Cutting Scores; Algebra; Mathematics Tests

Abstract:
Performance standards are a powerful way to communicate K-12 student achievement (e.g., proficiency) and are the cornerstone of standards-based reform. As education reform shifts the focus to college and career readiness, approaches for setting performance standards need to be revised. We argue that the focus on assessing student readiness can move performance standards toward an increasingly empirical grounding, leading to more meaningful and understandable standards for student achievement and better guideposts for instructional improvement. Specifically, we describe and illustrate the processes and practices associated with "evidence-based standard setting," taking as our example a specific application in the American Diploma Project Algebra II End-of-Course Exam, which was developed as an indicator of college readiness. (Contains 1 table, 1 figure, and 4 notes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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State Standards; Decision Making; High School Graduates; State Policy; Academic Standards; Public Officials; Reading Ability; Reading Achievement; Measures (Individuals); Standard Setting; Difficulty Level; Reading Comprehension

Abstract:
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) set a controversial aspirational, quantitative trajectory for text complexity exposure for readers throughout the grades, aiming for all high school graduates to be able to independently read complex college and workplace texts. However, the trajectory standard is presented without reference to how the grade-by-grade complexity ranges were determined or rationalized, and little guidance is provided for educators to know how to apply the flexible quantitative text exposure standard in their local contexts. We extend and elaborate the CCSS presentation and discussion, proposing that decisions about shifting quantitative text complexity levels in schools requires more than implementation of a single, static standard. A rigorous two-part analytical strategy for decision making surrounding the quantitative trajectory standard is proposed, a strategy that can be used by state policy makers, district officials, and educators in general. First, borrowing methods from student growth modeling, we illustrate an analytical method for creation of multiple trajectories that can lead to the CCSS end-of-high-school target for text complexity exposure, resulting in trajectories that place greater burden for shifting text complexity levels on students in different grades. Second, we submit that knowledge of the multiple possibilities, in conjunction with a set of guiding principles for decision making, can support educators and policy makers in critiquing and using the CCSS quantitative standard for text complexity exposure to establish particular expectations for quantitative text complexity exposure for particular students in situ. (Contains 2 figures.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Addictive Behavior; Counseling Services; Counselor Training; Mental Health Programs; Clinical Experience; Minimum Competencies; Standard Setting; Educational Methods; Integrated Curriculum; Educational Theories; Etiology; Intervention; Prevention; Screening Tests; Counseling Psychology; Counseling Techniques; Curriculum Implementation; Competency Based Education

Abstract:
The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs developed addiction competencies for clinical mental health counseling students. This article highlights these competencies, provides an overview of current addiction training, and describes methods to integrate addiction education into curricula.

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Mental Disorders; Clinical Diagnosis; School Psychologists; School Psychology; Change Strategies; Guides; Position Papers; Standard Setting; Benchmarking; Performance Factors; Program Development

Abstract:
Clinical diagnosis is not a typical school psychologist activity. However, changes to the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM), the framework for diagnosis put forth by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), are important to consider. First published in 1952, major revisions are being proposed for this new edition (DSM-5), set to be unveiled at APA's annual convention in San Francisco in May, 2013. The process for updating the manual has taken more than a decade and has included an unprecedented level of transparency. It has also been wrought with controversy, in both the professional and the public sectors. This article will serve as a brief overview of the major proposed changes, along with a short discussion regarding related controversies. (Contains 1 table.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Accountability; Consortia; Elementary Secondary Education; Academic Standards; Language Tests; Mathematics Tests; State Standards; Summative Evaluation; Program Development; Correlation; Alignment (Education); Evaluation Methods; Standard Setting; Educational Policy

Abstract:
A short 27 months ago, two groups of U.S. states were each awarded more than $175 million to design, develop, and pilot test a new generation of assessments (U.S. Department of Education, 2010). These new tests will replace assessments in English language arts and mathematics that are currently in use within state and federal accountability systems in grades 3-8 and high school. They will measure individual student growth toward college and career readiness and provide data that can inform decisions regarding teaching and learning, program improvement, and educator effectiveness. The systems will be ready for use in the 2014-15 school year--about two years from now. Why did the U.S. Department of Education fund the development of two different systems--the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) and the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced)? Certainly both groups submitted high-quality proposals. Some observers predicted that at least two consortia would receive funds to allay fears of a "national assessment" and of usurpation of local control over the curriculum. Whatever the reason, the two systems offer unique attributes and are working together to bring about substantive advances in K-12 testing, scoring, and reporting. This article discusses how these two Common Core assessment consortia were created--and how they compare. (Contains 1 figure and 3 endnotes.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Quality of Life; Foreign Countries; Psychometrics; Mental Retardation; Focus Groups; Family Environment; Clinical Diagnosis; Diagnostic Tests; Standard Setting; Test Construction; Planning; Age Differences

Abstract:
Background: Researchers, professionals, and families have shown increasing concern with the family quality of life (FQoL) of people with intellectual disability (ID) and their families. The goals of this research were (a) to explore how Spanish families understand FQoL by developing 2 different measurement tools for families with a member with ID under and over 18 years old, and (b) to provide 2 diagnostic instruments that will be useful for designing action plans. Method: The study comprised 4 stages: (a) focus groups, (b) expert assessment, (c) pilot study, and (d) normalisation and standardisation. The data were collected in 5 regions in Spain, and 1,205 families with a member with ID took part in the normalisation and standardisation of the scales. Results: Both FQoL scales were consistent and have valid psychometric characteristics. Conclusions: The scales have a diagnostic purpose for use in designing action plans aimed at producing significant changes in families' lives. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Licensing Examinations (Professions); Test Items; Dentistry; Minimum Competency Testing; Standard Setting; Scoring; Test Construction; Test Reliability

Abstract:
The consequences associated with the uses and interpretations of scores for many credentialing testing programs have important implications for a range of stakeholders. Within licensure settings specifically, results from examination programs are often one of the final steps in the process of assessing whether individuals will be allowed to enter practice. This article focuses on the concept of domain critical errors and suggests a framework for considering their use in practice. Domain critical errors are defined here as knowledge, skills, abilities, or judgments that are essential to the definition of minimum qualifications in a testing program's pass-fail decision-making process. Using domain critical errors has psychometric and policy implications, particularly for licensure programs that are mandatory for entry-level practice. Because these errors greatly influence pass-fail decisions, the measurement community faces an ongoing challenge to promote defensible practices while concurrently providing assessment literacy development about the appropriate design and use of testing methods like domain critical errors. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Evidence; Social Sciences; Research Methodology; Qualitative Research; Data Analysis; Benchmarking; Organizational Culture; Educational Principles; Standard Setting; Mixed Methods Research; Social Science Research; Research Problems; Research Projects; Research Reports; Best Practices; Scholarship

Abstract:
Ralph LaRossa's (2012) article on the multidimensional world of qualitative research provides family scientists with a set of innovative tools to guide writing and reviewing. He proffered an engaging challenge: to view the "Journal of Marriage and Family" ("JMF") as a meeting place of scholars, a thought community (Zerubavel, 1997), even a culture of its own. The dimensions in LaRossa's article did provide a map for publication in "JMF," but they also hinted at what lies below in the "real" territory: a dynamic and shifting set of cultures that constitute this journal community, other journal communities, and family science in the midst of other disciplines in the social sciences. In this response, the author explores the implications of LaRossa's dimensional map for movement into the territory of rigorous social science. As a researcher locates herself along the uniquely qualitative dimensions of research, she also revises and reworks research to address standards for data quality and data analysis that have traditionally divided scholars into methodological camps. She confronts a dilemma of whether she should "emulate basic principles in quantitative social sciences in establishing standards of evidence for qualitative work" (Small, 2009, p. 6). The author discusses how LaRossa's dimensions offer a new shared language with which to readdress the long-standing barriers in both of these methodological domains. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Qualitative Research; Humanities; Research Methodology; Revision (Written Composition); Writing Processes; Publications; Benchmarking; Standard Setting; Research Reports; Technical Writing; Concept Formation; Predictor Variables; Theory Practice Relationship

Abstract:
Qualitative manuscripts occupy a multidimensional world and can vary by their "latitude" (where they are with respect to the humanities and sciences), "longitude" (where they are with respect to the length and number of data excerpts), and "altitude" (where they are with respect to the level of theorizing). In this article, I discuss these 3 dimensions as they relate to the field of family studies, delineate the options available to authors as they carry out their analyses and present their findings, and outline the criteria reviewers frequently use when they evaluate qualitative work. It is hoped that, with a map of the writing and reviewing process, authors will be better equipped to chart the coordinates of their qualitative manuscripts and reviewers will be better able to provide the kinds of recommendations that authors can profitably utilize. (Contains 4 figures.) Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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Descriptors:
Educational Attainment; Foreign Countries; School Counselors; School Counseling; Standard Setting; Identification; Professional Development; Academic Achievement; Individual Characteristics

Abstract:
The majority of persons serving as school counselors in Belize do not have the formal training proposed by standard setting bodies, such as the U.S. National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) and the American School Counseling Association (ASCA). However, those serving as counselors readily identify responsibilities that parallel those advocated by the ASCA National Model (ASCA 2005). This article identifies characteristics of Belize school counselors, and reviews current school counseling practices and the implications of these for the future of school counseling in that setting. Opportunities for standardization and professional development for school counselors, solidification of a professional identity, and barriers to educational attainment are also explored. Note:The following two links are not-applicable for text-based browsers or screen-reading software. Show Hide Full Abstract

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