1. tests are relatively unimportant in the day-to-day decision making of the classroom teacher.
2. teachers tend to use observational data almost exclusively for instructional decisions. (Salmon-Cox, 1981).
3. even when reliable data are provided, teachers seem did not place students in a manner consistent with the data (Fuchs, Fuchs & Deno, 1982).
4. “A second hypothesis that may explain current measurement practice by teachers is that both the requirements of their job and the history of their training emphasizes the methods and materials as the primary concern rather than measurement of achievement.” p. 221.

1. an effort to decrease gap between instruction and assessment was the focus of a 6 year study @ minnesota. The study determined that the teachers were more effective (Fuchs, Deno, and Mirkin, 1984).
2. “A set of measurement design characteristics were developed to give teachers a simple way to routinely monitor student achievement. The measures would be:
   • Reliable and valid . . .
   • Simple and efficient . . .
   • Easily understood and thus easily communicated to parents, teachers, and students.
   • Inexpensive”” p. 221
3. Interesting discussion on reading comprehension issues. Too time intensive due to multiple forms needed, duplication problems etc. Mostly problems which can easily be addressed with a collaborative model. Noted that the comprehensive questions were high in content validity but simply too difficult to implement. Thus moved on to some lower-level vocab tasks.

1. Improved communication
2. Increased sensitivity (example provided of embarking on a weight loss program with a scale that is only registered +/- 10 lbs)
   • this is an excellent point, everyone can appreciate seeing improvement over the course of a year, month and week (parents, students & teachers) - very motivating. (I believe Skinner said the same thing when describing PI).
3. Improved data base - norm referenced tests not designed to measure growth.
4. peer refencing
5. cost-effectiveness

“In education, the measurement instruments that have been created to standardize our measurement procedures have not proved to be useful to teachers as they strive daily to improve student achievement. Teachers require simple, valid and efficient procedures that they can use to observe student performance in the curriculum of the school - procedures that function as the “vital signs” of student educational health - so that they can make judgments regarding the effectiveness of their efforts to instruct individual students rather than groups.” p. 230.