District Utilization of the Statewide Testing Program. Occasional Papers in Education.

The New Jersey Educational Assessment Program (EAP) is a statewide testing program used to assess reading and mathematics achievement, and to provide useful information to educational decision makers at the state and local levels. In May 1976, the State Department of Education conducted a survey of all local school superintendents regarding their districts' uses of the statewide EAP data. Approximately half of the districts responded. The utilization survey questionnaire focused on four categories of action resulting from use of the data: program changes, instructional changes, administrative changes, and dissemination of information. Results showed that, of the responding districts, 63.9% and 72.9% used the statewide test data to modify their reading and mathematics curricula, respectively. Moreover, 68.6% and 72.5% used the data to modify their instruction in reading and mathematics, respectively. It was also reported that 86.4% of the districts compared the test data from year to year; and that 36.8% used the data to initiate administrative changes involving the use of funds, the use or addition of staff, or the conduct of inservice workshops. A copy of the school district utilization survey and tables presenting the survey results are included. (Author/MV)