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Since 2005, over 70 oral reading fluency tests have been given in many languages and scripts, either as part of the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) or as individual one-minute tests. Particularly in multilingual countries, reading speed and comprehension measures have been taken in multiple languages and also in multiple scripts. The development of language has a significant genetic component, which tends to create common grammatical structures. Then languages must conform to information processing limitations, notably to working memory capacity. On the basis of such features, it may be possible to develop common standards for performance improvement compare findings cross linguistically. Languages are most comparable when large chunks are used rather than single words. To arrive at some comparisons, several methods may be tried. These include: a) counting actual words in connected texts or in lists, using some conventions if needed; b) using computational solutions to arrive at coefficients of certain languages vis a vis others, such as 1 Swahili word being equivalent roughly to 1.3 English words; c) using in multiple languages lists of words of a defined length, e.g. 4 letters; d) measuring phonemes or syllables per minute, possibly dividing by average word length; and e) rapid serial visual presentation, potentially also measuring perception at the letter feature level. Overall, reading rate as words per minute seems to be a valid and reliable indicator of achievement, with 45-60 words being a range that is usable as a benchmark.

Adaptation --- Child Development --- Curriculum --- Curriculum & Instruction --- Education --- Educational Sciences --- Languages --- Literacy --- Nutrition --- Primary Education --- Reading --- Research Methods --- Schools --- Speech --- Standardized Tests --- Teaching and Learning --- Technical Assistance --- Tertiary Education

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Low student learning is a common finding in much of the developing world. This paper uses a relatively unique dataset of five semiannual rounds of standardized test data to characterize and explain the short-term changes in student learning. The data are collected as part of the quality assurance system for a public-private partnership program that offers public subsidies conditional on minimum learning levels to low-cost private schools in Pakistan. Apart from a large positive distributional shift in learning between the first two test rounds, the learning distributions over test rounds show little progress. Schools are ejected from the program if they fail to achieve a minimum pass rate in the test in two consecutive attempts, making the test high stakes. Sharp regression discontinuity estimates show that the threat of program exit on schools that barely failed the test for the first time induces large learning gains. The large change in learning between the first two test rounds is likely attributable to this accountability pressure given that a large share of new program entrants failed in the first test round. Schools also qualify for substantial annual teacher bonuses if they achieve a minimum score in a composite measure of student test participation and mean test score. Sharp regression discontinuity estimates do not show that the prospect of future teacher bonus rewards induces learning gains for schools that barely did not qualify for the bonus.

Education --- Education For All --- Learning --- Learning levels --- Learning outcomes --- Pass rate --- Primary Education --- Private school --- Quality assurance --- Quality standards --- Secondary Education --- Standardized tests --- Student learning --- Teaching and Learning --- Tertiary Education --- Test scores

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The objective of this report is to describe the process and summarize the results from the pilot implementation of statistical models for measuring the value-added of Bulgarian schools through analysis of the national student' assessments results. This report presents the technical aspects of the pilot and the key outcomes in terms of value-added measure for each of the schools included in the analysis. The report documents all data processing, adjustments, and procedures run as part of the school value added modeling and in this respect, it is also intended expert statisticians and researchers. The national student assessment results in Bulgaria are reported on a non-transformed raw point scale accompanied by a table that allows a transformation of the raw points to the six-grade rating scale, adopted for measuring students' performance. Based on this, each school receives an average score and some means of comparison with other schools in the country. Analyzing the test results through value-added analysis is a new approach for the country and the findings from this pilot are intended to inform policy makers in Bulgaria about the advantages and limitations of value-added measures (VAMs) in the context of the Bulgarian education system, its student assessment framework, and the data collected and used by the education management information system.

Assessments --- Curriculum --- Education --- Education For All --- Educational Outcomes --- Employment --- Gender --- Human Development --- Knowledge --- Lower Secondary Education --- Quality of Education --- School Attendance --- Schools --- Secondary Education --- Small Schools --- Standardized Tests --- Teachers --- Tertiary Education --- Textbooks --- Workers --- Youth

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The objective of this report is to document the process and summarize the results from the second phase of the pilot implementation of statistical models for measuring the value-added of Bulgarian schools through analysis of the national student' assessments results. This report presents the technical aspects of the pilot and the key outcomes in terms of value-added measure for each of the schools included in the analysis. It is intended to ensure the institutional memory for the pilots and to stimulate the discussions at technical level among experts and decision makers at the Ministry of Education and Science (MES), focusing on the relevance and applicability of the piloted statistical models, in the context of Bulgaria student assessment framework, and given the available data. The report documents all the data processing, adjustments, and procedures run as part of the school value added modeling.

Assessments --- Curriculum --- Education --- Education For All --- Education For the Knowledge Economy --- Elementary Education --- Human Development --- Knowledge --- Lower Secondary Education --- Mobility --- Primary Education --- Quality of Education --- Schools --- Secondary Education --- Small Schools --- Software --- Standardized Tests --- Teachers --- Technical Assistance --- Tertiary Education

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One of the most popular and enduring legacies of President Lyndon B. Johnson's Great Society programs, Project Head Start continues to support young children of low-income families-close to one million annually-by providing a range of developmental and educational services. Yet as Head Start reaches its fortieth anniversary, debates over the function and scope of this federal program persist. Although the program's importance is unquestioned across party lines, the direction of its future-whether toward a greater focus on school readiness and literacy or the continuation of a holistic approach-remains a point of contention. Policymakers proposing to reform Head Start often invoke its origins to justify their position, but until now no comprehensive political history of the program has existed. Maris A. Vinovskis here provides an in-depth look at the nation's largest and best known-yet politically challenged-early education program. The Birth of Head Start sets the record straight on the program's intended aims, documenting key decisions made during its formative years. While previous accounts of Head Start have neglected the contributions of important participants such as federal education officials and members of Congress, Vinovskis's history is the first to consider the relationship between politics and policymaking and how this interaction has shaped the program. This thorough and incisive book will be essential for policymakers and legislators interested in prekindergarten education and will inform future discussions on early intervention services for disadvantaged children.

Children with social disabilities --- Education (Preschool) --- Head Start Program (U.S.) --- Project Head Start (U.S.) --- United States. --- Head Start Child Development Programs (U.S.) --- Community Action Program (U.S.). --- History. --- head start, preschool, early childhood education, kennedy, johnson, politics, nonfiction, history, poverty, class, mobility, equality, great society, literacy, school readiness, reform, government programs, federal, low income, political science, congress, social program, edward zigler, jule sugarman, health, nutrition, family, home environment, standardized tests, office of economic opportunity, albert quie.