During 1996 R&R applied and tested the scoring and training aspects of StarNET™ in two main areas:

• Translating the StarNET™ rater interface into an Intranet Scoring System using Internet-compatible software; and,

• Testing the Intranet Scoring model with two large-scale scoring projects:
  • The CCSSO Health Education Assessment Project - scoring 237,474 responses

  • A State-wide Reading Comprehension Test (subcontractor to Questar Data Systems, Inc.) - scoring 484,680 responses

• Adapting aspects of the StarNET™ training model to the practice parts of training programs developed by the Rocky Mountain Center for Health Promotion and Education (RMC). These programs were designed to train teachers in Colorado to score health education assessments according to the National Health Education Standards, as represented by the CCSSO~SCASS Health Education Assessment Project's Performance Assessment Scoring System.

• Publishing a CD-ROM reference document with active, World Wide Web hyperlinks, called HealthHELP for Health Educators, funded by the CCSSO~SCASS Health Education Assessment Project.

Projects with two partners have occupied us for 1998, 1999 and 2000. We began calling projects with these partners StarNet Customizations since they involved StarNet technology, further development and adaptation to specific assessment circumstances.

• With Insite, Inc (Columbia, SC), we began a StarNet Customization for the Horry County (SC) School District (HCSD). The focus was on fall and spring testing using a variety of tests (some locally developed, and including both multiple choice and performance items ). The primary objective was rapid turnaround of testing results. HCSD created a document imaging center where test booklets from schools could be rapidly scanned and converted to digital image files. HCSD also provided 2 labs of about 20 PC workstations and the intranet networking structure for implementing online ratings of the performance assessment parts of the tests. Insite hired, trained and managed raters and R&R managed the StarNet system. This partnership resulted in revisions and testing of StarNet components and changes in the design of StarNet databases.

• With RMC's lead we expanded the function of the StarNet Customization to move from practice examples of pre-scored health assessment tests to a customization that involved submission of tests by teachers from remote locations and ratings from remote raters.