Bibliography of Assessment Alternatives: Portfolios

LeMahieu, Paul. Writing Portfolio; Current Working Model, 1991. Available from:
Pittsburgh Public Schools, Division of Writing & Speaking, 341 S. Bellefield Ave.,
Pittsburgh, PA 15213, (412) 622-3500, fax: (412) 622-8578.
This package contains handouts about the PROPEL project, which has ended. The handouts
were used for a presentation by Paul LeMahieu and Dennie Wolf at the ASCD Consortium on
Expanded Assessment meeting, November 5-6, 1991 in San Diego. Included are forms,
instructions, a philosophy statement, and help with building a portfolio culture in the
classroom. For example:
• A form for students to fill out that becomes the table of contents for the portfolio
• A form for students to fill out that becomes the explanation of why each piece was chosen
for the portfolio
• A list of clues for knowing when students are ready to do portfolios
• Questions to prompt student self-reflection on writing
• Instructions to students on how to review and update their portfolios
• A form for parents to use to review their child's portfolio
• A form for students to use to respond to their parents' review
• A framework for evaluating the portfolio as a whole
(AL# 470.3WRIPOC)
LeMahieu, Paul G., Joanne T. Eresh and Richard C. Wallace, Jr. Using Student Portfolios
for a Public Accounting. Located in: The School Administrator 49, December 1992,
pp. 8-15.
This article is a very readable summary of the philosophy, approach, and assessment
procedures for PROPEL, a portfolio project in art, music and writing begun in 1987. The
majority of the article is on student portfolios being used for public accounting, including the
idea of "audits" of portfolios by members of the community in order to "validate" the
conclusions drawn by staff review of portfolios.
(AL# 000.6USISTP)
Assessment Resource Library, (503) 275-9582 49 Portfolio Bibliography
(formerly Test Center) NWREL, December 1996