Tesis sobre el tema "Educational tests and measurements"

This research study compared the three commonly used norm-referenced assessments (Northwest Evaluation Assessment, STAR Enterprise, and AIMSweb) to the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment. The basic question was which one of the three assessments provided the best predictive validity scores to the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment. Yearly scores from three years were gathered to evaluate which one of the three assessments had a stronger correlation score to the MCA. The study was confined to using 4^th grade scores from three different schools located on a Native American reservation. Each school used one of the three common standardized reference assessments, and each school administered the MCA in the spring using winter scores. These scores were used to evaluate whether a student is on track to reach proficiency on the MCA. Findings showed that two of the three assessments had strong correlation scores. NWEA-MAP and STAR Enterprise had the strongest correlation. Further findings showed that STAR Enterprise had the strongest correlation score with a caveat that this is a new assessment and needs more research. Findings from this study allow schools to use two of the assessments with confidence that it is giving them quality scores.

A standard analysis of prostate cancer biochemical failure data is done by conducting two approaches in which risk factors or covariates are measured. Cox regression and discrete-time survival models were compared under different attributes: sample size, time periods, and parameters in the model. The person-period data was reconstructed when examining the same data in discrete-time survival model. Twenty-four numerical examples covering a variety of sample sizes, time periods, and number of parameters displayed the closeness of Cox regression and discrete-time survival methods in situations typical of the cancer study.

Rodriguez, Gabriel R. Bachelor of Science, University of Southwestern Louisiana, Spring 1999; Bachelor of Arts, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Spring 2005; Master of Education in Educational Leadership, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Fall 2007; Doctor of Education, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Spring 2017 Major: Educational Leadership Title of Dissertation: A Mixed Methods Bounded Case Study: Data-driven Decision Making Within Professional Learning Communities for Response to Intervention Dissertation Director: Dr. Dianne F. Olivier Pages in Dissertation: 206; Words in Abstract: 196 ABSTRACT A growing number of schools are implementing PLCs to address school improvement, staff engage with data to identify student needs and determine instructional interventions. This is a starting point for engaging in the iterative process of learning for the teach in order to increase student learning (Hord & Sommers, 2008). The iterative process of data-driven decision making within PLCs may isolate true PLCs into simplified data meetings, while a professional learning community can more accurately be described as a process (Jessie, 2007). The purpose of this study was to examine how data are used within the professional learning community process for Response to Intervention (RTI). Thus, the overarching research question guiding this study is, to what extent do teachers use data-driven decision making in Professional Learning Communities for Response to Intervention? To develop rich descriptions of Data-driven decision making, PLCs, and Response to Intervention, one-on-one face to face interviews were conducted with each school principal in the district. Additionally, focus group interviews with teachers at each school provided rich descriptions related to the three key constructs. Perceptions of Professional Learning Communities were also collected through a quantitative survey method to describe the district?s engagement in PLCs.

Employability skills training programs are an essential strategy to improve the skills of the workforce and minimize unemployment in Malaysia. However, there has been a lack of assessment and evaluation studies regarding local employability skills training programs. Existing local studies are focused more on the identification of the skills that allow a person to be employable. Due to the lack of assessment and evaluation studies, stakeholders seem perplexed about the direction of training programs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of educators, employers, and recent graduates regarding the role of employability skills training programs in the workforce of Malaysia. The study also identified those factors that facilitate and improve training programs. The theoretical framework for this descriptive study was based on Human Capital Theory (Becker, 1993; Schultz, 1961). All participants for this study were from the central economic region of the west coast of peninsular Malaysia. The first population was engineering, technical, and vocational educators in public higher education institutions. The second population was employers in the manufacturing sector. The third population was recent graduates who were enrolled in employability skills training programs in higher education institutions and training centers. A questionnaire was adapted to gather perceptions from the respondents. The findings of this study revealed the importance of training programs for improving the skills, minimizing unemployment, and developing the workforce of Malaysia. Educators and recent graduates agreed about the positive impact of such programs on trainee skills. However, employers perceived that employability skills training programs neither ensure improvement in the skills, minimize unemployment, nor develop the workforce. The factors that facilitate the involvement of recent graduates in training programs and recommendations were also identified. Additionally, the findings revealed that employability skills training programs are relevant for recent graduates and workers in the labor force. Further, the findings identified the most integral skills that recent graduates should possess to obtain employment in the competitive job market as perceived by educators, employers, and recent graduates, including discipline and integrity, interpersonal skills, and professionalism, creativity and innovation, teamwork, lifelong learning, ability to apply knowledge, and knowledge in specific engineering disciplines.

This quantitative, ex post facto study examined the impact a districtwide high school one-to-one mobile technology initiative had on the number of 10 ^th grade students in the Forney Independent School District (ISD) (Texas) who passed their standardized TAKS tests during the 2010 academic year. The research study used annual public Forney ISD (Texas) data obtained from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website. The study compared the 2009 academic year when 10^th grade students (n=520) did not have one-to-one mobile technology and the 2010 academic year when 10 ^th grade students (n=530) were able to use one-to-one mobile technology as their personal school and home device. Findings from the study determined if there was a statistically significant relationship between one-to-one mobile technology and the number of 10^th grade students who passed their standardized TAKS tests during the 2010 academic year. With a chi-square critical value of 3.84 the results of the study showed a statistically significant relationship between the number of 10^th grade students who passed their TAKS tests in 2010 with one-to-one mobile technology. In 2010, the number of 10^th grade students who passed the English Language Arts test increased by 5% (92% to 97%) with a chi-square statistic of 12.86. The number of students who passed the Math test increased by 18% (65% to 83%) with a chi-square statistic of 44.39. The number of students who passed the Science test increased by 12% (70% to 82%) with a chi-square statistic of 21.04. The number of students who passed the Social Studies test increased by 6% (90% to 96%) with a chi-square statistic of 14.79. The number of 10 ^th grade students who passed all of their TAKS tests increased by 18% (57% to 75%) with a chi-square statistic of 38.67. The theoretical framework was constructed by the dual coding theory of Alan Pavio and the multiple intelligence theory of Howard Gardner.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the impact of teacher attitudes and to discover other factors that have an impact on the implementation of a standards-based grading program. This descriptive phenomenology features interviews of 25 educators from Georgia as well as other states and two foreign countries in order to collect their perspectives of the lived experience of the implementation process.

The findings of this study suggest that the attitudes teachers have regarding the implantation process of a standards-based grading program do have a significant impact on the process. Those participants who described themselves as having a positive attitude towards the transition tended to also describe experiencing a more successful implementation of the program. The converse was true as participants describing their experience as being controlled by a negative attitude towards the transition experienced less successful transitions to the standards-based grading program. The findings of this study suggest that school leaders play a vital role in creating a successful implementation process and that other factors such as the quality of professional development and the element of time impact the process.

This dissertation studies 7 high-performing middle school principals’ leadership styles and programs as measured by their student achievement on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress or CAASPP. The qualitative research includes interviews of these identified school leaders about their self-reported strengths that account for their students’ success. While Kouzes and Posner’s set of leadership practices is the theoretical framework behind this study, the primary investigator developed two themes evident in both the high-achieving schools and its highly effective principals: strong people skills, and the ability to create and implement programs that affect a group who have been prejudicially described as low-income and low-performing. The participants’ lived experiences as charter school leaders who work with underserved communities add to a very limited body of research of urban education and how charter schools bridge the proverbial academic achievement gap.

English Language Learners (ELLs) are no longer a part of specific areas of America. They have crossed all classroom boundaries of the United States. This means as ELLs have integrated into the classrooms, educators are becoming versed in methods and strategies to help ELLs learn and achieve proficiency on standardized assessments. The purpose of this study was to determine if ELLs learned enough to be proficient in English to do well on a standardized test as their non-ELL peers. The Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) and the Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State to State (ACCESS) were the two exams used to compare proficiency results. The MAP is the standardized test given to Missouri students beginning at Grade 3. The ACCESS is a language achievement test developed by the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment (WIDA) Consortium to track levels of English in students beginning in Kindergarten. Students in Grades 3 through 8 were the focus for this study. The exam results of ELLs who took both the MAP and ACCESS were analyzed and compared to their non-ELL peers. The results showed that ELLs who meet academic proficiency on their ACCESS test also have as much English comprehension to do as well on the MAP as the non-ELLs. All groups of students, Grades 3 through 8, showed that if ELLs have reached a level of bridging, or Level 5, they are capable of working with grade level material in English.

Over the last two decades, online education has become a popular concept in universities as well as K-12 education. This generation of students has grown up using technology and has shown interest in incorporating technology into their learning. The idea of using technology in the classroom to enhance student learning and create higher achievement has become necessary for administrators, teachers, and policymakers. Although online education is a popular topic, there has been minimal research on the effectiveness of online and blended learning strategies compared to the student learning in a traditional K-12 classroom setting.

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in standardized test scores from the Biology End of Course exam when at-risk students completed the course using three different educational models: online format, blended learning, and traditional face-to-face learning. Data was collected from over 1,000 students over a five year time period. Correlation analyzed data from standardized tests scores of eighth grade students was used to define students as “at-risk” for failing high school courses.

The results indicated a high correlation between eighth grade standardized test scores and Biology End of Course exam scores. These students were deemed “at-risk” for failing high school courses. Standardized test scores were measured for the at-risk students when those students completed Biology in the different models of learning. Results indicated significant differences existed among the learning models. Students had the highest test scores when completing Biology in the traditional face-to-face model. Further evaluation of subgroup populations indicated statistical differences in learning models for African-American populations, female students, and for male students.

Current research indicates there is a correlation between participating in an early childhood program and a student’s performance on future standardized measures, including the challenge of using early learning standards (Feldman, 2010). This research study focused on state initiatives, and student participation in an early childhood preschool model centered on the use of universal curriculum and assessment designed to measure student outcomes aligned to learning targets, outlined in state preschool curriculum standards. Research shows learning decreases for students who have not participated in an early childhood program, while those who have participated in some kind of early childhood program show progress (Heckman, 2011). Young children come to school with varying degrees of experiences, which may or may not enhance their learning. Educators are responsible for providing positive experiences and provide academic activities to develop academic awareness, social/emotional skills, in addition to displaying appropriate behavioral skills. Participation in preschool should also build a student’s level of independence and competency skills. This research study examined state initiatives and curriculum materials, and assessment tools related to the importance of early childhood education programming and teacher practices, and the impact of universal curriculum and assessment implemented in the classroom during the school year. In addition, it further explored teacher perspectives on educational programming, Louisiana’s early childhood initiatives, and the use of universal curriculum and assessment in their classroom.

The college admission systems of the United States require the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and American College Testing (ACT) examinations. Although, some resources suggest that SAT and ACT scores give some meaningful information about academic success, others disagree. The objective of this study was to determine whether there is significant predictive validity of SAT and ACT exams for college success. This study examined the effectiveness of SAT and ACT scores for predicting college students’ first year GPA scores with a meta-analytic approach. Most of the studies were retrieved from Academic Search Complete and ERIC databases, published between 1990 and 2016. In total, 60 effect sizes were obtained from 48 studies. The average correlation between test score and college GPA was 0.36 (95% confidence interval: .32, .39) using a random effects model. There was a significant positive relationship between exam score and college success. Moderators examined were publication status and exam type with no effect found for publication status. A significant effect of exam type was found, with a slightly higher average correlation for SAT compared to ACT score and college GPA. No publication bias was found in the study.

Test anxiety is a phenomenon which has been researched for decades. Student performance, goal attainment, and personal lives are all negatively affected by the multiple factors of test anxiety. This quantitative study was designed to determine if a particular relaxation technique, called sensory activation, could mitigate the symptoms and effects of test anxiety. The Test and Anxiety Examination Measure, developed by Brooks, Alshafei, and Taylor (2015), was used to measure test anxiety levels before and after implementation of the sensory activation relaxation technique. Two research questions guided the study using not only the overall test anxiety score from the Test and Anxiety Examination Measure, but also using the five subscale scores provided within the instrument. After collection and analysis of data, the results for research question one indicated a statistically significant positive difference in mean levels of overall test anxiety. Not only were overall mean test anxiety levels lowered, but findings for research question two showed significant decreases in worry and state anxiety subscale scores. Considering the sensory activation relaxation technique was used during the examination period, it is reasonable to assume its effectiveness would be limited to lowering state anxiety levels rather than trait anxiety levels. Also, results from prompt 10 of the Test and Examination Anxiety Measure (Brooks et al., 2015) indicated the sensory activation relaxation technique could serve as a possible deterrent to the “going blank” problem as described anecdotally by students. Instructors could introduce the sensory activation relaxation technique to their students prior to the first testing event in the course, thus producing the desired outcomes of better test performance and less anxiety.

Relieving test anxiety actions range from relaxation exercises to prescription medication. Humor can be a simple method of test anxiety relief. The current study was used to determine if humor, in the form of a cartoon, placed on the splash page of an online exam improved the test scores of students who have high test anxiety. In the current study, 2 theories were used to guide the research. The interference theory by Ralf Schwarzer and Matthias Jerusalem indicated students have difficulty separating competing thoughts during an exam. In the adult learning theory by Malcolm Knowles, the learning of children and adults was differentiated, while explaining how adults learn. A quasi-experimental quantitative design was used to find a possible correlation between humor and test anxiety relief. The study sample comprised an equal number of students with high test anxiety and students with low test anxiety. The low test anxiety group comprised the control group. A 2-sample t test was used to search for a correlation between the cartoon and the exam scores. Intended benefits of the study included: (a) students with test anxiety find relief from test anxiety, (b) instructors achieve reliable assessments of students with test anxiety, and (c) confident, well-educated graduates. The current study results showed the opposite of expected results. The high test anxiety group did worse on the exam with the cartoon. The 2-sample t test showed a negative improvement of –6.222 between midterm and final exams for the high test anxiety group.

In general, newer educational assessments are deemed more demanding challenges than students are currently prepared to face. Two types of factors may contribute to the test scores: (1) factors or dimensions that are of primary interest to the construct or test domain; and, (2) factors or dimensions that are irrelevant to the construct, causing residual covariance that may impede the assessment of psychometric characteristics and jeopardize the validity of the test scores, their interpretations, and intended uses. To date, researchers performing item response theory (IRT)-based model simulation research in educational measurement have not been able to generate data, which mirrors the complexity of real testing data due to difficulty in separating different types of errors from multiple sources and due to comparability issues across different psychometric models, estimators, and scaling choices.

Using the context of the next generation K-12 assessments, I employed a computer simulation to generate test data under six test configurations. Specifically, I generated tests that varied based on the sample size of examinees, the degree of correlation between four primary dimensions, the number of items per dimension, and the discrimination levels of the primary dimensions. I also explicitly modeled the potential nuisance dimensions in addition to the four primary dimensions of interest, for which (when two nuisance dimensions were modeled) I also used varying degrees of correlation. I used this approach for two purposes. First, I aimed to explore the effects that two calibration strategies have on the structure of residuals of such complex assessments when the nuisance dimensions are not explicitly modeled during the calibration processes and when tests differ in testing configurations. The two calibration models I used included a unidimensional IRT (UIRT) model and a multidimensional IRT (MIRT) model. For this test, both models only considered the four primary dimensions of interest. Second, I also wanted to examine the residual covariance structures when the six test configurations vary. The residual covariance in this case would indicate statistical dependencies due to unintended dimensionality.

I employed Luecht and Ackerman’s (2017) expected response function (ERF)-based residuals approach to evaluate the performance of the two calibration models and to prune the bias-induced residuals from the other measurement errors. Their approach provides four types of residuals that are comparable across different psychometric models and estimation methods, hence are ‘metric-neutral’. The four residuals are: (1) e0, which comprises the total residuals or total errors; (2) e1, the bias-induced residuals; (3) e2, the parameter-estimation residuals; and, (4) e3, the estimated model-data fit residuals.

With regard to my first purpose, I found that the MIRT model tends to produce less estimation error than the UIRT model on average (e2MIRT is less than e2UIRT) and tends to fit the data better than the UIRT model on average (e3MIRT is less than e3UIRT). With regard to my second research purpose, my analyses of the correlations of the bias-induced residuals provide evidence of the large impact of the presence of nuisance dimension regardless of its amount. On average, I found that the residual correlations increase with the presence of at least one nuisance dimension but tend to decrease with high item discriminations.

My findings shed light on the need to consider the choice of calibration model, especially when there are some intended and unintended indications of multidimensionality in the assessment. Essentially, I applied a cutting-edge technique based on the ERF-based residuals approach (Luecht & Ackerman, 2017) that permits measurement errors (systematic or random) to be cleanly partitioned, understood, examined, and interpreted—in-context and in relative to difference-that-matters criteria—regardless of the choice of scaling, calibration models, and estimation methods. For that purpose, I conducted my work based on the context of the complex reality of the next generation K-12 assessments and based on my effort to maintain adherence to the established educational measurement standards (American Educational Research Association (AERA), the American Psychological Association (APA), and the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME), 1999, 2014); International Test Commission (ITC) (ITC, 2005a, 2005b, 2013a, 2013b, 2014, 2015)).

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate teachers’ implementation levels of best practices in reading. This study examined the frequency of instructional reading strategies serving as predictors of student success in the End of Course Assessments (ECA) for Algebra I and English Grade 10. This study reviewed current literature to determine the depth of the problem and to study effective research strategies in order to provide a better understanding of the secondary reading issue. The study also reviewed the specific reading strategies in Indiana high schools in relationship to results of Algebra I and English Grade 10 of ECA in lowest poverty schools and highest poverty schools in Indiana.

A Qualtrics survey was constructed and emailed to teacher participants. The electronic survey was separated into two sections with the first asking information about the school and the teacher, and the second asking the teachers to respond to the frequency with which the strategies of vocabulary, summarization, prior knowledge, fluency, and visualization were emphasized in classes. Each strategy included four questions for a total of 20 questions. A total of 66 teachers responded to the survey; 29 teachers from low-poverty level shcools and 37 teachers from high-poverty levels schools. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regressions.

Multiple regressions were used to address the four research questions that were used to structure the research for this study. The predictor variables do explain a significant amount of variance within the Algebra 1 ECA scores. This was determined as the significance value was lower than the given alpha level (.05) with F (5, 23) = 2.66, p = .049. ANOVA results for all predictor variables in Algebra I ECA did not reveal that the use of reading strategies is related to the success of passing the Algebra I For low-poverty level schools. The multiple regressions conducted did not prove that frequency of research-based instructional reading strategies taught in high schools served as a predictor of standardized testing performance in English 10 ECA for low-poverty schools or high-poverty schools.

This study provided information as to the selection of reading strategies as they contribute to students’ ability to pass the ECA. This was significant because it did not suggest the importance of instructional reading programs and strategies in high school. The study, through quantitative data, did not prove whether the use of reading programs and strategies will improve the students passing scores in the ECA. The study provide a better understanding why some students get through their early years of school only, to get to high school and have a difficult time with reading and become one of the numbers of students who drop out.

This quantitative study of summer learning for Maine students in grades three through grades eight analyzed changes in academic achievement level in mathematics and reading that occurred during the summer recess of 2009.

For mathematics, it appeared that when school was not in session, students showed a cumulative loss of nearly 11 percent of a standard deviation. Although small, the change in performance over the summer was not uniform across all grades studied. For the youngest students in this study, the summer recess represented a time where children collectively lost nearly 40 percent of a standard deviation in mathematics. While gender did not show a statistically significant affect on a child’s mathematics achievement over the summer, a child’s socioeconomic status (SES) did. Taken cumulatively over the course of this study, high-SES children made a cumulative gain of just over one third of a performance level in mathematics as compared to their low-SES classmates.

For reading achievement, it appeared that when school was not in session, students showed a slight gain in reading of just about 2 percent of a standard deviation. Again the change was not uniform: children in the youngest grades of the study appeared to gain in achievement level during the summer, while the oldest children in this study lost nearly 32 percent of a standard deviation. Both gender and SES had a statistically significant impact on a child’s summer learning. Over the five grade spans of this study, high-SES children gained nearly 25 percent of a performance level over their low-SES classmates while female students gained nearly 40 percent of an achievement level over their male classmates.

The patterns of learning exposed in this study for different categories of students during the summertime have meaningful implications for policymakers attempting to close the achievement gap. First, it suggests that efforts to close the achievement gap must include efforts to address out-of-school learning factors. Second, by including the summer learning in their calculations accountability measures that use an annual assessment to measure the effectiveness of teachers and schools at closing the achievement gap contain a substantial error.

The relationship between teacher-assigned standards-based grades and teacher-assigned traditional grades and student achievement on the Missouri Assessment Program was examined for all students of the sample. The 120 participants for this study were third graders during the 2012-2013 school year transitioned to fourth grade during the 2013-2014 school year. The students were enrolled in Elementary School A in rural Missouri. One hundred twenty students’ permanent traditional and standards-based grade cards and Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) scores provided the data to determine the relationship between teacher assigned standards-based grade cards or teacher-assigned traditional grade cards and student achievement. The findings of this study provide strong suggestions for school districts considering a standards-based grading and reporting system in response to the recent transition away from traditional grading practices. The results of this study showed a significant relationship between teacher-assigned standards-based grades and student achievement on the MAP in the content areas of English Language Arts and Mathematics. The results of the study suggest standards-based grade reporting offers precise information concerning student learning that can be used as a measure of student achievement.

The researcher designed this study to investigate a possible correlation between the number of years of fine arts coursework and achievement on the American College Test (ACT). The district studied was predominantly African American; therefore, similar schools may use the results to plan strategies to reduce the achievement gap. Results included a mild positive correlation between student ACT achievement and coursework in visual arts, and a moderate correlation between ACT achievement and performing arts. The more fine arts coursework a student received, the higher his or her ACT score. The researcher conducted a z-test for difference in means to compare the ACT scores of students with two or more years of fine arts to the district population?s average ACT score. The researcher found significant statistical difference in ACT scores. Finally, the researcher conducted a z-test for difference in means to see if number of years of fine arts coursework correlated to student achievement on each of the ACT sub tests: English, Math, Reading, and Science. The researcher found students with two or more years of arts coursework scored higher on each sub test than students who only took one required year of fine arts. The researcher noted this study could be important to curricular programming and increased student achievement in the future.

More families in the United States are beginning to choose private or homeschool education for children instead of a public school education (Hanna, 2011); therefore, college administrators must begin to evaluate each student’s educational background in order to help all students achieve academic success at the college level. The purpose of this study was to determine differences in multi-year college academic performance among public, private, and homeschool graduates who attended a private work college in the Midwest. The variables analyzed consisted of students’ final high school GPAs and ACT test scores, college cumulative GPAs and work point average (WPA) scores, as well as college graduation rates. Each educational background was examined independently, while also analyzing the varied educational backgrounds against one another and as groups. The results of the homeschool and private school students were not significantly different in all variables tested. The homeschool students maintained a slightly higher average overall; however, both homeschool and private school students’ scores were consistently higher than students who attended public schools using an equality of variance, ANOVA, and post-hoc analyses for high school cumulative GPA, ACT composite score, college cumulative GPA, and WPA variables. Both homeschool and private school students had a comparable college completion rate; however, public school students had a lower graduation rate. A chi square test of independence was used to determine whether a significant relationship existed between the educational background of students and college graduation. The analyses showed the graduation rate was dependent upon the educational background. Not only did public school students average the lowest percentage in all variables, but they were below the overall average of each variable tested.

Special education students with many different disabilities are taught in today’s classrooms, and since the passing of the No Child Left Behind Act in 2001, they are required to take the same standardized assessments as their regular education peers (Resmovits, 2013). Within this study, data were analyzed to determine the perceptions of two groups, which included third-grade regular education teachers and special education teachers of special education students who took the same standardized assessments as their regular education peers. In addition, data were also examined to determine if there was a relationship between how teachers from the two groups responded to survey statements and how students actually scored on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) for the years 2012-2014. Finally, data were analyzed to determine the perceptions of the two groups on the use of special education students’ assessment results for teacher evaluations. Sixty-three (N = 63) teachers, 30 regular and 33 special education teachers, from the Southwest Missouri region participated in completing a survey. Results indicated teachers in both groups negatively viewed the idea of special education students taking the same standardized assessments, with or without accommodations, as their non-disabled peers. In addition, a statistical relationship was found between the regular education teachers’ perceptions and special education students’ MAP scores in the area of communication arts (2013, 2014), and a statistical relationship was found between special education teachers’ perceptions and special education students’ MAP scores in the area of communication arts (2012) and math (2013). Finally, the data showed teachers in both groups negatively viewed the idea that special education students’ MAP scores should be used in teacher evaluations.