2009 Volume 50 Issue 1 Pages 51-65
The Test of New York State Assessment Program started in 2002. In particular, the Science Tests that are carried out for fourth and eighth grades, consists of two required components: Written and Performance. In this paper, the purpose of the test, the state of implementation, and the effectiveness are researched. The methods of the research were through interviews and documentary surveys. As a result, (1) The purpose of the new science test is to evaluate students as well as the school science programs. The multiple-choice portion of the test was used to determine which students needed academic intervention service in science. The performance portion of the test was used to evaluate the school science programs. (2) The case study was done in Buffalo, since it is the biggest District in New York State. Although teachers marked the Written Test in each school, the scoring teams marked the Performance Test to maintain the credibility of the scores. The Board of Education (Buffalo Public Schools) developed the materials for laboratory experiment, and Professional Development Programs for teachers. (3) The effectiveness is that teachers had to change the teaching styles from lecture types to Inquiry methods including experiment and observation. In conclusion, we can see the students extended their academic achievement.
