NCJ Number
157983
Date Published
1994
Length
60 pages
Annotation
This study examined whether there is any relationship between basic skills scores and performance on Florida's police and correctional certification tests.
Abstract
The intent was to assess whether performance on certification exams can be predicted from grade levels demonstrated in reading, language, and mathematics, as measured on the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE). The TABE test was selected for analysis because it represents the most widely used basic skills measure among Florida's training centers. TABE scores were obtained from 20 responding training centers and matched with exam scores provided by the first 5 months of 1994. Matches were obtained for 467 cases from 15 training centers. TABE was not the strong predictor of State exam outcomes that might have been anticipated. Depending upon whether TABE was introduced into the analysis prior to or after type of discipline, its impact upon State exam scores was between 3.7 and 11.4 percent. For whatever reasons, academic ability as measured by TABE is apparently less important than other variables for this group of students. This is not an argument against retaining minimum TABE requirements. It does suggest, however, that other factors involved in the selection, training, or testing process may be important predictors of test performance. 22 tables, 5 figures, and 24 references