Crowder, C. R., & Gallas, E. J. (1978, March). Relation of out-of-level testing to ceiling and floor effects on third and fifth grade students [Paper presentation]. Annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), Toronto, Ontario (Canada).

This empirical study employed a counterbalanced design, whereby each student took both an in-level and out-of-level test. Third graders took lower level and on-level. Fifth graders took fifth and next higher level.

Data collected from a district from six schools in a metro area. Three schools had shown previous floor effects for third graders on the Stanford Achievement Test. Three schools had shown previous ceiling effects for fifth graders on the Metropolitan Achievement Test.

1) Scores on MAT and SAT. 2) Student self-report on survey.

Scaling: Comparison of mean standard scale scores for the third grade between on-level and out-of-level tests show no significant differences (either below or above). For fifth grade, there were significant differences for both floor and ceiling schools. Mean standard scores favored on-level results (one level below and one level above mean standard scores were lower). Third Grade: students scoring in the chance range scored higher on the lower out-of-level test. Fifth Grade: students scoring in the chance range did not get higher scores on the higher out-of-level test. Chance-level scores: fewer chance scores on the out-of-level for third grade. No difference for fifth graders.