This study examined the mathematics experiences of talented children in an impoverished rural school district located in a coal-mining area of Appalachia. Using interview methods, the researchers explored the children's ideas about the nature of mathematics, their perceptions of the mathematics instruction they received at school, and their engagement with mathematical ideas at home and in the community. Findings centering around 3 themes suggested that the children's experience was constrained by the presentation of mathematics as a discipline focused on calculation and bound by rules. Students' view of mathematics was further limited by a narrow conception of its usefulness. The study found, however, that the children received support for mathematics learning from their families and from the teacher of the gifted. Notably, instruction provided in the gifted program was reported as being more advanced, more challenging, and more engaging than what was offered in regular classrooms.

The purpose of this report is to propose a theory of action for the development of an alternate English language proficiency assessment (AELPA) system to support the integrated instruction and assessment for English learners with significant cognitive disabilities (ELSCDs). This theory of action examines the purposes of an ELP assessment system based on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) regulations requiring the assessment of all ELSCDs. This report seeks to inform assessment considerations for the development of an AELPA system for state education agencies (SEAs) and test developers. This theory of action identifies assumptions, purposes, and goals for assessment development and includes a logic model to represent system claims. The report ends with a discussion of unintended consequences and ways to mitigate them, as well as future research recommendations.

The article describes practical suggestions for measurement researchers and psychometricians to respond to calls for social responsibility in assessment. The underlying assumption is that personalizing large‐scale assessment improves the chances that assessment and the use of test scores will contribute to equity in education. This article describes a spectrum of standardization and personalization in large‐scale assessment. Informed by a review of existing theories, models, and frameworks in the context of current and developing technologies and with a social justice lens, we propose steps to take, as part of assessment research and development, to contribute to the science of personalizing large‐scale assessment in technically defensible ways.

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