NEW ORLEANS HIGHLIGHTS
1984 NATD Meeting
The national Association of Test Directors held its annual meeting on April 24, 1984 at the Marriott Hotel in New Orleans, LA. President Paul Brown, Indianapolis, Ind., welcomed members and guests to the first NATD meeting to be a part of the AERA Program.
Peter Wolmut, Portland, Oregon, Chairperson of the Committee for Test Standardization, reviewed progress made in the development of a document outlining conditions necessary for participation by large cities and counties in test standardizations. Dr. Wolmut reported that a rough draft was reviewed by a committee appointed at the previous meeting in Montreal. This committee consisted of Roger Bagllin, Rochester, NY, Tommy Hall, Houston, Texas, Bill Myers, Fort Launderdale, Fla., and Carol Robinson, Albuquerque, NM. A draft was then sent to the membership for review. The final draft was sent to members for approval during March, 1984.
After questions and discussion from those present, Dr. Wolmut asked those members who had not already done so to cast their votes. The announced result was 28 of 35 approved, 2 approved with recommendations, and 2 disapproved the document. (the final count of all votes, including late arriving ones was reported by Dr. Wolmut in May as totaling 51; 43 yes, 6 yes with reservations and 2 no.)
Carol Robinson, Nominating Committee Chairperson announced that Paul Brown had been reelected president for 1984-85. Other officers included Peter Wolmut, vice president, Tommy Hall, secretary, and Bill Myers, treasurer. Janie Hall, Oklahoma City, OK, replaced outgoing board member Carol Robinson.
Sandra Oneal, Albuquerque, NM, presented A Profile of Standardized Testing which provided an overview of achievement testing practices and results for member districts. Ms. Oneal reported that the California Achievement Test is the most frequently used commercially produced test and that 61 of the 70 reporting districts are involved in a state mandated testing program. Copies of the report ate available upon request to Ms. Oneal.
Program Chairperson, Cordelia Alexander, Dallas, Texas, introduced invited speakers, Robert Stevenson, Dade County, FL., and Michael Mauldin, Houston, TX Dr. Stevenson discussed general statistical problems inherent in the use of tests to award Merit Pay. Dr. Mauldin outlined the positive aspects of using test as part of the criteria in the awarding of merit pay.
Jules Grosswald Honored
Dr. Jules Grosswald, Philadelphia, Pa., was honored at the 1984 NATD meeting for his years of service to the group as founding president. Current president Paul Brown presented a bronze plaque to Dr. Grosswald and expressed appreciation on behalf of the membership. In accepting the honor, Dr. Grosswald reminded the group that good things are still happening in public education. He encouraged NATD to continue the growth which it has begun and to continue to involve more individuals.
Mr. Brown also thanked Dr, Michael Strozeski, Garland, Texas, on behalf
of the membership for handling the mailing of NATD correspondence.
Joint NATD/AAP Meeting
Officers of the National Associations of Test Directors met with the Association of American Publishers in New Orleans to Review the Principles for National Test Development. Paul Brown informed the publishers that the principles had been adopted by NATD. Individual members of the publisher’s group expressed reservations and questions about the wording of several points in the document. NATD members agreed to consider rewording in some areas. Peter Womult recorded the suggested changes for consideration by the NATD membership.
Members of NATD and AAP expressed encouragement resulting form the atmosphere
of cooperation between the two groups.
NCME Symposium
At the invitation of Barbara Plake, NCME ProgramChairperson, NATD members participated in an invited symposium dealing with issues and problems in testing in large city schools. Topics discussed were:
Teacher Training in Measurement, Peter Womult
Testing Bilingual and Non-English-Speaking Pupils, Janie Hall
Testing to Evaluate Teachers, Cordelia Alexander
How to Apologize Gracefully for Improved Test Scores, Jules
Groswald
Problems of a Test Director in a Large Urban School System, Michael
Mauldin
Test Item Banking, Bill Myers
Moderator, Mike Strozeski
The symposium was highlighted by the appearance of that fine southern gentleman ‘Colonel’ Bill Myers who graphically demonstrated, with real US (not Confederate) dollars, the need for trust among test directors in order to increase their gains from item banking. Grace Iverson, Lansing, MI, and Ellen Pechman, New Orleans, LA., assisted him by trusting enough to put one dollar into his “bank” and doubling their investment. ‘Colonel’ Myers later confessed that he was a bit worried about how many in the audience would choose to trust him.
Closing remarks by Discussant Carol Robinson reviewed the pressures
for test misuse which test directors face and forecast an increasing need
for measurement people to take a stand for ethical practices, even tot
he point of putting jobs on the line.
From the Vice President:
Enclosed wit this Newsletter are two items for your review and consideration.
1. First, after the Principles were adopted at the NATD Business Meeting, some of us met with publisher representative. And the draft sent to you earlier was amended slightly, but not too substantively as per the enclosed copy.
The principle about sampling units was reworded and placed into Principle #1. Some clarity of language was made. Publisher representatives said they would like to examine the principles independently. So in the preamble, the concept of publisher subscription to the principles is left in brackets.
Unless there is a groundswell from you demanding another vote, your officers agreed to leave the principles as amended.
2. The second document is a sign-up sheet for you to become involved in NATD study areas for 1984-85. (for those who were in New Orleans, you may wish to sign up again. If not, I still have your choices from the meeting.)
Please examine the list and indicate which groups you would like to be involved with. Also, please indicate which group(s) you might wish to chair.
As chairperson, you will decide how you and your colleagues want to handle the topic. You will also be asked to consider making the topic part of a symposium for submission to NCME for the 1985 convention in Chicago. That is not a must; but I have asked already that time be considered for us in terms of two presentations and the annual NATD business meeting.
The study group idea will work to the degree that we combine to make it work. And it just could be an interesting way to establish problem-solving techniques among us.
If you have any questions, please call me at (052) 255-1841 x 220. And thanks ahead of time for your consideration. I look forward to hearing back from you by June 30.
A Reminder: Paul Brown requests that members who have not returned updated directory information to him do so as soon as possible.
NATD Newsletter Editor: Janie Hall, Oklahoma City Public Schools, 900 N. Klein, Oklahoma city, OK 73106.
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