Embedding Questions The Pursuit of a Common Measure in Uncommon Tests (1999) / Chapter Skim
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Introduction: History and Content
Introduction: History and Content
Pages 6-13
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From page 6... ...
The search for a solution to this dilemma led Congress to request two separate studies from the National Research Council (NRC) to deters mine whether a common measure of student performance can be achieved by comparing or linking the results of different tests to each other anc3 interpreting the results in terms of national or international benchmarks.
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From page 7... ...
The lack of a readily available, nationally accepted "common currency" for describing anc3 comparing incliviclual student achievement leaves policy makers wondering what they can tell students and their families about how local students are performing relative to other students in the nation. The first NRC study aciciressec3 the question of the feasibility of cleveloping an equivalency scale that would allow test scores from commercially available stanciarclizec3 tests anc3 state assessments to be compared with each other anc3 NAEP.
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From page 8... ...
In continuing to seek a viable means of deriving a common measure of student performance, anc3 to c30 so efficiently, policy makers responclec3 to the NRC report with several follow-up questions: · Is there a way to combine elements of two different tests anc3 get meaningful results for both? · Can NAEP items or items from other nationally stanciarclizec3 tests simply be embeciclec3 in state tests in order to provide information related to national stanciarcis?
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From page 9... ...
COMMITTEE'S APPROACH In accepting its charge, the committee acknowlecigec3 that the questions posed to it are important ones that reflect policy makers' keen desire for nationally comparable student achievement measures that can be clevelopec3 without addling aciclitional testing burdens to state programs. Therefore, in conducting its deliberations, the committee used the ability to achieve comparability with efficiency as one criterion for evaluating different strategies for embecicling items to develop a common measure of incliviclual student performance.
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From page 10... ...
In either case, performance on the national test items generates a "national score," the cancliciate for a common measure of individual student performance. The "state test" is whatever state or local testing program is already in place, and it produces a "state score" for students that is distinct from the national score.
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From page 11... ...
Two methods of embecicling are incluclec3 in our analysis: physical and conceptual. Physical embecicling entails inserting material from the national test into a state's test booklets, either as a separate section of the state test or sprinkled throughout the state test.
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From page 12... ...
3. Item~bank scenario: In this scenario, a national item bank is macle available to local educational agencies, and state educators select the items they wish to use and embed them in their state tests.
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From page 13... ...
Some of the conclusions contained in this report reflect the current diversity of state curricula and tests. If the goals and characteristics of state testing programs were to become markedly more similar than they currently are, some of the obstacles to embedding noted here would be ameliorated to some degree.
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