Articles are listed in descending order by year (most recent first), and then by first author's last name.
Warne, R. T., Doty, K. J., Malbica, A. M., Angeles, V. R., Innes, S., Hall, J., & Masterson-Nixon, K. (2016). Above-level test item functioning across examinee age groups. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, 34(1), 54-72.
Abstract
Above-level testing (also called above-grade testing, out-of-level testing, and off-level testing) is the practice of administering to a child a test that is designed for an examinee population that is older or in a more advanced grade. Above-level testing is frequently used to help educators design educational interventions for gifted children, especially those who may be candidates for grade skipping or Talent Search programs. However, little research has been conducted on how test items function when administered to a younger population, despite professional standards that require examiners to gather validity evidence when administering a test for a new population. In this article, we explain two studies in which we compared item functioning across two populations of examinees: gifted middle school students and older examinees that the tests were designed for. Results from Study 1 indicated a high correlation between item difficulty statistics for both groups on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. Results from Study 2—a mixed-methods study—showed that even though the two groups were similar in ability (as measured by the Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales), the high school students completed SAT-M test items more quickly and demonstrated more familiarity with the test content. In both studies, test items generally operate similarly for the two age groups. However, important local curriculum and individual educational history may cause some items to operate differently when administered above level.
Rambo-Hernandez, K. E., & Warne, R. T. (2015). Measuring the outliers: An introduction to out-of-level testing with high-achieving students. Teaching Exceptional Children, 47(4), 199-207.
Out-of-level testing is an underused strategy for addressing the needs of students who score in the extremes, and when used wisely, it could provide educators with a much more accurate picture of what students know. Out-of-level testing has been shown to be an effective assessment strategy with high-achieving students; however, out-of-level testing has not been shown to work well with low-achieving students. This article provides a brief history of out-of-level testing, along with guidelines for using it.
Missett, T. C., Brunner, M. M., Callahan, C. M., Moon, T. R., & Price Azano, A. (2014). Exploring teacher beliefs and use of acceleration, ability grouping, and formative assessment. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 37(3), 245–268.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0162353214541326
Few academic interventions for gifted students have generated more empirical support than acceleration and ability grouping, and formative assessment is advocated as a tool that educators can use to appropriately integrate accelerative practices and ability grouping into the classroom. However, the empirical support for accelerative practices, ability grouping, and formative assessment does not always translate into practice. This qualitative study sought to explore how teacher expectations about student ability influenced teacher use of accelerative practices, ability grouping, and formative assessment. The findings indicate that the availability and use of formative assessments, coupled with high teacher expectations about student ability, support teacher use of best practices in pacing and grouping strategies.
Walsh, R. L., Kemp, C. R., Hodge, K. A., & Bowes, J. M. (2012). Searching for evidence-based practice: A review of the research on educational interventions for intellectually gifted children in the early childhood years. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 35(2), 103–128.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0162353212440610 (Original work published 2012)
A search of the literature from the past 30 years reveals that there is a dearth of research surrounding effective interventions for intellectually gifted children in the early childhood years. The findings of 11 empirical studies of educational provisions for young gifted children were located and the methodological rigor of the studies examined. Aspects problematic to research with young gifted children are discussed, including issues relating to sample sizes, definitions of giftedness, difficulties in conducting experimental studies, finding appropriate standardized measures for use with gifted children, and measurement of program outcomes. Suggestions are made for strengthening future research in the field of early childhood gifted education.
Assouline, S., Colangelo, N., Lupkowski-Shoplik, A., Forstadt, L., & Lipscomb, J. (2009). Iowa Acceleration Scale manual: A guide for whole-grade acceleration K-8 (3rd Ed.). Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press.
The Iowa Acceleration Scale (IAS) has been developed to guide educators in making important decisions regarding whether or not particular students are good candidates for whole-grade acceleration (grade-skip). The IAS is designed for use with students in grades K-8. It is an appropriate guide for early entrance to kindergarten or first grade. The IAS Manual is an easy-to-read monograph that is designed to be used as a reference guide in conjunction with the IAS Form, since the manual contains explanations and instructions for filling out each item in the Form.
Lipscomb, J. M. (2003). A validity study of the Iowa Acceleration Scale. Unpublished dissertation, The University of Iowa.
The Iowa Acceleration Scale (IAS) was designed to aid educators in determining whether an elementary or secondary student would benefit from whole-grade acceleration (also known as grade skipping). The 20-item scale addresses a student's measured intellectual ability and achievement, motivation, attitudes towards learning, and relationships with peers and teachers, as well as the attitudes of educators, parents, and the student toward acceleration. Between 1992 and 1998, complete data on 103 IAS cases were amassed by the Belin-Blank Center. These data were utilized to generate information about how well components of the IAS function together (part of internal structure evidence for validity). Results of the study suggest that each of the IAS's four subscales contribute to a distinct set of information to the total score. The subscales and 13 of the 20 items function as intended by positively contributing to the total IAS score. The findings also suggest changes that could increase the ability of the IAS to distinguish among the small and potentially homogenous group of students who are nominated for acceleration.
Moon, T. R., Callahan, C. M., Brighton, C. M., Hertberg, H., & Esperat, A. M. (2003). School Characteristics Inventory: Investigation of a quantitative instrument for measuring the modifiability of school contexts for implementation of education innovations. Journal for the Education of the Gifted, 27(2/3), 146-176.
In response
to the numerous school reform initiatives being implemented, Sternberg proposed
a theory of contextual modifiability stating that successful change in a school
requires that the school be modifiable. Sternberg developed the School
Characteristics Inventory (SCI), a 116-item Likert scale questionnaire, to
assess schools' modifiability. The purpose of this study was to conduct a
reliability and validity study on the instrument using data from a larger study
on the effectiveness of innovations addressing academic diversity.
Specifically, the SCI factor structure, item analyses, and validity evidence of
the SCI were examined. Six factors (59 items) were extracted and rotated to
simple structure, accounting for 42% of the variance across the factor solution.
Internal consistency estimates were obtained to assess the reliability of these
factors, with coefficient alphas ranging from a low of .76 to a high of .94.
The present data give credence to the reliability and validity of the SCI and
tentatively support the organizational modifiability construct theorized by
Sternberg.
Feldhusen, J. F., Proctor, T. B., & Black, K. N. (2002). Guidelines for grade advancement of precocious children. Roeper Review, 24(3), 169-171.
The authors’ main purposes are to clarify the need of challenges in students’ learning, review the literature on the effects of grade acceleration for students, and provide suggestions for best practices in making decisions about grade advancement. Because this is a review article, instead of testing hypotheses, the authors present data supporting their assertion that grade advancement is a legitimate and valuable way to meet the needs of some intellectually or academically gifted students. First, the authors cite a previous study showing that students are best able to learn a skill or concept when it is taught at an appropriate challenge level, noting that “when a new task to be learned is too difficult, students are frustrated; when it is too easy, they are bored and lose interest in learning.” This finding supports the belief that advanced students who are not placed in challenging (i.e. accelerated or enriched) settings may lose interest.The authors write that acceleration is a practical, research-supported technique for most school levels. Numerous studies (cited in the article) have shown that accelerated students do not suffer from social and emotional difficulties at a different rate from their non-accelerated peers. The authors provide guidelines for advancing a child, including having a comprehensive psychological evaluation of the child’s intellectual functioning, academic skills levels, and social-emotional adjustment; ensuring that the child demonstrates academic skill levels above the mean of the grade desired; and ensuring that the child does not feel unduly pressured by the parents to advance.The authors conclude that, for intellectually advanced children who have been properly screened, academic acceleration is likely a viable way to ensure appropriate education. This conclusion is in agreement with previous studies, and this article adds to the literature by succinctly presenting a need for acceleration, citing research supporting acceleration, and providing introductory steps to consider in the acceleration process.
