Assessment for Educational Leaders

Written specifically for school administrators and those preparing to be school administrators, this easy-to-read book contains only what's needed by leaders in today's assessment-dominated world of educational accountability. The content of the text is unabashedly practical, addressed specifically to the assessment-related needs of today's school administrators. The real-world orientation of the book, based on the author's extensive and continuing work in the nation's public schools, makes the book attractive to those instructors who teach assessment courses taken by prospective school administrators. Students (and in-service school administrators) will recognize immediately that this text is not loaded with dry, abstruse content about measurement and psychometric exotica. Readers will sense immediately that this book deals with the real-world measurement issues that today's educational leaders will most certainly encounter.Each chapter begins with a set of significant questions, giving the reader anticipatory knowledge of the content to come. A chapter "Wrap-Up" summary succinctly answers each of these questions posed, permitting readers to comprehend the chapter's contents. Critical issues such as NCLB, National and State Standards, and School Reform are discussed in a readable style, intended to provide clarity for the reader. In-margin glossary entries are provided to coincide with the introduction of any significant assessment-related terms, making it easy for readers to find succinctly stated definitions of key terms. Practice exercises are provided at the close of each chapter, along with an answer key, dealing with the chapter's most salient content, giving readers an opportunity to see if they have, in fact, understood the most important content covered in the chapter. Aside from the usual end-of-chapter reinforcements, such as discussion questions, additional references, and relevant audio-visual materials, almost every chapter contains a set of briefly described up-to-date Web sites related to the chapter's content. Each chapter contains one or more mini-essays (300-500 words)-"Education Leaders Look at Assessment"-from a current educational leader regarding an aspect of educational assessment. Written by a diverse collection of school administrators, ranging from school principals to a state commissioner of education, and accompanied by photos of each contributor, these essays provide realistic insights into the content. Original, assessment-related cartoons are found throughout the book, many of which are particularly timely in today's accountability oriented environment. Instructor's Manual with test questions is available electronically by contacting your local representative.