Resource Hub

Explore guides, research papers, policy briefs, and tools to aid decisions on standards and assessments.

Design and Development of Multidimensional Science Item Clusters

One of the most commonly used tools for NGSS-aligned assessment is the item cluster; where multiple dimensions of one or more performance expectations are tested via multiple items of different types. The design of item clusters involves numerous decisions that must be considered early in the development process. This paper examines these development considerations and offers sample item cluster procedural design criteria.

General Topics

Standards, Assessment, & Accountability Topics

Assessment Topics

Assessment Design & Development Summative & Large Scale Assessment

Media Type

Document