Mental Measurements Assessments
The following assessments have been reviewed in the Mental Measurements Yearbooks (MMY). The MMY's purpose is to provide a forum for the review of new tests and to allow consumers to search for the most appropriate test for their needs. The MMY series contains information for evaluating test products in psychology, education, business and leadership. Tests that are reviewed in MMY are all commercially available; however, the costs can be high when attempting to purchase a copy of the assessments. If you are interested in using one of the reviewed assessments, be sure to check with your school to see if there is a copy available before purchasing.
Decoding and Spelling Proficiency Test-Revised
This assessment has been reviewed in Mental Measurements Yearbook 19th Edition. This assessment was designed to provide a detailed profile of crucial literacy skills that underlie reading and spelling. This test includes an oral word reading or decoding and a test of printed word recognition and spelling for use with children ages 6 to 25. Coefficient alpha was used to estimate internal consistency for both forms of each section and for each age-level sample. These coefficients ranged from .75 to .99, with most values above .90. The alpha coefficients for the performance tests (Word Reading and Spelling) were higher than for the multiple-choice tests, which permitted guessing. When alphas were averaged across age levels for each form of each test, none was lower than .94.
Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests
This assessment has been reviewed in Mental Measurements Yearbook 19th Edition. This assessment was designed to measure reading readiness and reading achievement. This assessment consists of nine measures of reading achievement. These measures include letter identification, phonological awareness, rapid automatic naming, word identification, word attack, word comprehension, passage comprehension, listening comprehension, and oral reading fluency. Split-half indices ranged from .64 to .97, with most values in the .85 to .95 range.
Phonemic-Awareness Skills Screening
This assessment has been reviewed in Mental Measurements Yearbook 15th Edition. The Phonemic-Awareness Skills Screening (PASS) is a quick screening that pinpoints three specific areas phonological weakness. It is also used to identify students with problems, to determine strengths and weaknesses, and to document progress. This assessment contains 50 items that are administered to students individually. There are eight sections of the test. These sections include rhyme, sentence segmentation, blending, syllable segmentation, deletion, phoneme isolation, phoneme segmentation, and phoneme isolation. According to the review, it is unclear whether or not the PASS was conceived and developed as a criterion-referenced or norm-referenced instrument; however, either way it is an extremely flawed test. Without a rationale for its construction, without an adequate description of its normative population, and without any assessment of its reliability, the PASS is not appropriate for educational or clinical use.
STAR Reading Test
This assessment has been reviewed in Mental Measurements Yearbook 15th Edition. The STAR Reading Test is a computer-adaptive test and data-base that allows teachers to assess students' reading abilities quickly. This assessment uses Item Response Theory (IRT). Students complete only 25 questions in a single exam. Generic reliability estimates were computed for each grade in the norming sample using error and score variances in the classical formula. These values ranged from .89 to .92.
Decoding and Spelling Proficiency Test-Revised
This assessment has been reviewed in Mental Measurements Yearbook 19th Edition. This assessment was designed to provide a detailed profile of crucial literacy skills that underlie reading and spelling. This test includes an oral word reading or decoding and a test of printed word recognition and spelling for use with children ages 6 to 25. Coefficient alpha was used to estimate internal consistency for both forms of each section and for each age-level sample. These coefficients ranged from .75 to .99, with most values above .90. The alpha coefficients for the performance tests (Word Reading and Spelling) were higher than for the multiple-choice tests, which permitted guessing. When alphas were averaged across age levels for each form of each test, none was lower than .94.
- Informal Assessment
- Target Age Range: 6-25
- This assessment measures the literacy skills that underlie reading and spelling.
- Estimated Completion Time: 25-40 minutes
- Format: Paper/Pencil
- This assessment must be administered individually for certain parts, but other may be administered as a group.
Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests
This assessment has been reviewed in Mental Measurements Yearbook 19th Edition. This assessment was designed to measure reading readiness and reading achievement. This assessment consists of nine measures of reading achievement. These measures include letter identification, phonological awareness, rapid automatic naming, word identification, word attack, word comprehension, passage comprehension, listening comprehension, and oral reading fluency. Split-half indices ranged from .64 to .97, with most values in the .85 to .95 range.
- Informal Assessment
- Target Grade Level: Pre-K to 12th
- This assessment measures reading readiness and reading achievement.
- Estimated Completion Time: 15-45 minutes
- Format: Oral and Paper/Pencil
- This assessment should be administered individually.
Phonemic-Awareness Skills Screening
This assessment has been reviewed in Mental Measurements Yearbook 15th Edition. The Phonemic-Awareness Skills Screening (PASS) is a quick screening that pinpoints three specific areas phonological weakness. It is also used to identify students with problems, to determine strengths and weaknesses, and to document progress. This assessment contains 50 items that are administered to students individually. There are eight sections of the test. These sections include rhyme, sentence segmentation, blending, syllable segmentation, deletion, phoneme isolation, phoneme segmentation, and phoneme isolation. According to the review, it is unclear whether or not the PASS was conceived and developed as a criterion-referenced or norm-referenced instrument; however, either way it is an extremely flawed test. Without a rationale for its construction, without an adequate description of its normative population, and without any assessment of its reliability, the PASS is not appropriate for educational or clinical use.
- Informal Assessment
- Target Grade Level: 1-2
- This assessment targets phonological weakness.
- Estimated Completion Time: 15 minutes
- Format: Oral
- This assessment should be administered individually.
STAR Reading Test
This assessment has been reviewed in Mental Measurements Yearbook 15th Edition. The STAR Reading Test is a computer-adaptive test and data-base that allows teachers to assess students' reading abilities quickly. This assessment uses Item Response Theory (IRT). Students complete only 25 questions in a single exam. Generic reliability estimates were computed for each grade in the norming sample using error and score variances in the classical formula. These values ranged from .89 to .92.
- Informal Assessment
- Target Grade level: 1-12
- This assessment measures students' reading abilities.
- Estimated Completion Time: 10 minutes
- Format: Computer-Based
- This assessment should be administered individually.
References
Brunsman, B. (2014). [Review of the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests]. In J.F. Carlson, K.F. Geisinger, & J.L. Johnson (Eds.), The nineteenth mental
measurements yearbook. Lincoln, NE: Buros Institute of Mental Measurements.
Long, S. (2003). [Review of Phonemic-Awareness Skills Screening]. In B.S. Plake, J.C. Impara, & R.A. Spies (Eds.), The fifteenth mental measurements
yearbook. Lincoln, NE: Buros Institute of Mental Measurements.
Nebelsick-Gullett, L. (2003). [Review of STAR Reading Test]. In B.S. Plake, J.C. Impara, & R.A. Spies (Eds.), The fifteenth mental measurements
yearbook. Lincoln, NE: Buros Institute of Mental Measurements
Shanahan, T. (2014). [Review of the Decoding and Spelling Proficiency Test-Revised]. In J.F. Carlson, K.F. Geisinger, & J.L. Johnson (Eds.), The nineteenth
mental measurements yearbook. Lincoln, NE: Buros Institute of Mental Measurements.
measurements yearbook. Lincoln, NE: Buros Institute of Mental Measurements.
Long, S. (2003). [Review of Phonemic-Awareness Skills Screening]. In B.S. Plake, J.C. Impara, & R.A. Spies (Eds.), The fifteenth mental measurements
yearbook. Lincoln, NE: Buros Institute of Mental Measurements.
Nebelsick-Gullett, L. (2003). [Review of STAR Reading Test]. In B.S. Plake, J.C. Impara, & R.A. Spies (Eds.), The fifteenth mental measurements
yearbook. Lincoln, NE: Buros Institute of Mental Measurements
Shanahan, T. (2014). [Review of the Decoding and Spelling Proficiency Test-Revised]. In J.F. Carlson, K.F. Geisinger, & J.L. Johnson (Eds.), The nineteenth
mental measurements yearbook. Lincoln, NE: Buros Institute of Mental Measurements.