Demystifying Statewide Standardized Assessments: Ensuring That Assessments Accurately Measure Academic Standards
Test developers collect validity evidence to provide support for the interpretations and uses of the test scores. Validity evidence comes from multiple sources including what’s being tested, how students respond to the questions, the internal structure of the test, how the scores relate to other types of data, and the reliability of the scores. The collection of validity evidence is an ongoing process.
Key Takeaways
- Assessments must demonstrate through multiple types of evidence that the conclusions drawn from the results are appropriate.
- The collection of validity evidence is an ongoing process because content standards, teaching practices, and students change over time.
- The U.S. Department of Education has an important role in reviewing statewide tests to ensure that students are taking high-quality assessments and that tests are meeting technical requirements.