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A test is a measure that provides information about a student's knowledge, skill, or competence. The quality of the test is determined by how well it provides information and the accuracy and validity of the information that it gathers.
You need to be confident that you are using the best quality assessments possible. To provide a benchmark of comparison, we'd like to share some of the major steps CTB uses to guarantee quality in our test designs.
CTB's steps in creating a quality test:
1. Begin with sound research--CTB uses content development processes and practices that are based on sound and proven principles of test research and validation. We make sure that the test questions we create measure what students actually know and can do.
2. Mirror what's being taught in today's classrooms--For a test to be truly relevant, it should reflect the content of textbooks and materials that teachers are using in their classrooms. We look at the content of recently published textbooks and instructional programs, as well as national and state curriculum standards, and then develop our test content to parallel and support these materials.
3. Use clear and unbiased language--After the initial research, we begin to design a test "blueprint" to map the number and types of test questions to the learning objectives and skills we wish to measure. Then we determine the length and difficulty of reading passages and the appropriateness of question topics. At this stage, we also make sure there is a balanced representation of ethnic, gender, age, and role images in the test content.
4. Create the best questions--CTB's staff of professional item (test question) writers, most of whom are experienced teachers, research, collect, and draft the test questions and other test materials. All materials are then carefully reviewed for content and editorial accuracy by another group of experienced content editors. At the same time, graphic designers and illustrators work closely with the editors to ensure that the graphics and page design support the text.
5. Measure how well it performs--It may seem odd to test a test, but that's exactly what we do. We work collaboratively with educators and student focus groups around the country to pilot our tests and validate how well they will perform. Once the assessments are thoroughly researched and tested, we then feel confident to release them to a broader audience.
6. Get a passing grade from the industry experts--Beyond our own high standards for quality, our tests and supporting materials meet the quality standards of other industry professionals and educators. Our tests meet the standards set by educational experts from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), the International Reading Association (IRA), and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE).
One final word--Test scores are only one indicator of how well a student is doing in school. We believe that even the best assessments should be just one factor in evaluating a student's knowledge or skill level. A variety of tests, or "multiple measures," is necessary to show teachers what students know and can do. And just as different tests provide different information, no single test can tell everything we need to know about one student's progress. This multiple-measures approach to assessment is our recommendation to achieve a valid, reliable, and fair assessment about student achievement.
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