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Embedding Questions The Pursuit of a Common Measure in Uncommon Tests (1999) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Pages 1-5

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From page 1...
... . More recently, Congress asked the National Research Council to determine the technical feasibility, valiclity, and reliability of embedding test items from the National Assessment of Educational Progress or other tests in state anc3 district assessments in 4th~gracle reacling anc3 8th~gracle mathematics for the purpose of developing a valid measure of student
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From page 2...
... the test must always be aclminis' terec3 uncler the same stanciarclizec3 conditions so that all test takers have the same opportunity to demonstrate what they know. Developing a common measure of incliviclual student performance by inserting an abridged test into the diversity of current state tests creates multiple opportunities for these two conditions to be violated, threaten' ing the validity of most of the inferences that parents, educators, anc3 policy makers want to support with test scores.
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From page 3...
... The impediments to deriving valid, reliable, anc3 comparable national scores from embeds clec3 items stem from three sources: differences between the state anc3 national tests; differences between the state anc3 national testing pro' grams, such as the procedures used for test administration; anc3 differences between the embeciclec3 material anc3 the national test from which it is drawn. CONCLUSION 1: Embedding part of a national assessment in state assessments will not provide valid, reliable, and comparable national scores for individual students as long as there are: ( 1 )
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From page 4...
... This approach provides both national and state scores for individual students and may reduce students' testing burdens relative to the administration of two overlapping tests. The relative efficiency of embecicling must be evaluated on a case- bycase basis anc3 clepencis on many factors, including the length of the embeciclec3 test, required changes in administration practices at the state level, anc3 differing regulations about which students are tested or excluclec3.
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From page 5...
... Aggregation will not alleviate the distortions in the scores that are caused by these factors. Given the limited data available on this issue, the committee floes not offer a conclusion about the use of embed' cling to obtain aggregate information.
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Key Terms

  • common measure
  • national assessment
  • test items
  • student performance
  • national scores

  • individual students
  • individual student
  • state tests
  • educational progress
  • national tests

  • embedded material
  • state assessment
  • testing programs
  • testing program
  • embedded items

  • provide valid
  • national testing
  • state test
  • voluntary national
  • comparable national

  • substantial differences
  • offer gains
  • state score
  • nationally calibrated
  • state scores

  • office report
  • scale support
  • administered remains
  • district tests
  • deriving valid


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