Assessments

Question 0

Norm-Referenced Tests

Answer 0

Norm-referenced achievement tests measure basic concepts and skills commonly taught in schools throughout the country. These tests are not designed as precise measures of any given curriculum or single instructional program. Results from norm-referenced tests provide information that compares a student’s achievement with that of a representative national sample.

Question 1

Criterion-Referenced Tests

Answer 1

Criterion-referenced tests are designed to compare a student’s test performance to clearly defined curricular objectives, skill levels, or areas of knowledge rather than with scores or a sample of other students (like norm-referenced tests).

Question 2

Percentile rank

Answer 2

Contrary to their name, percentile scores have nothing to do with the percentage of questions the student got right. Percentiles, with a low of 1 and a high of 99, show how students compare with the norm group, a statistically reliable sample of students used for making comparisons. A percentile score is the percentage of students your child scored as well as or better than. If a student scores at the 65th percentile, it means that he or she performed as well as or better on the test than 65 percent of the norm group. The 50th percentile is considered average, and the largest percentage of students is clustered between the 40th and 60th percentiles.

Question 3

Performance Assessments

Answer 3

Performance assessments are tests that directly assess pupil performance. Many performance assessments call on students to produce solutions to “constructed response” (short answer) items or open-ended questions. They may call for students to write an essay or short response, draw a conclusion, respond to a reading passage, or perform a science experiment. Teachers or other school personnel may observe students’ performances and rate the outcomes. Performance assessments can also measure listening skills, writing, and the process of problem solving.

Question 4

Scale Score

Answer 4

Many tests use this as the basic measure of the student’s performance. It is used primarily to provide a basis for deriving various other normative scores to describe performance (like percentile ranks). The scale score is also the basis for setting the proficiency performance levels for the WSAS and Third Grade Reading Tests (i.e., advanced, proficient, basic, minimal). The Terra Nova test series, which is the test used for WSAS, extends from Kindergarten through 12th grade versions and has a scale score range across those levels of 0 to 999. Other tests have different scale ranges such as college admissions tests like the ACT (range of 0 to 36) and the SAT (range of 0 to 1600). Scale scores are calculated by applying sophisticated computational procedures directly to the pattern of student responses to the items or questions.

Question 5

Standardized Tests

Answer 5

Standardized means that the test is always given and scored the same way. The same questions are asked and the same directions are given for each test. Specific time limits are set and each student’s performance may be compared with all the other students taking the same test.