Chapters 5 Formal Assessment

Formal Measures Assess isolated skills Cannot capture the process Not authentic Rarely consider attitudes or habits Measure low level skills

Characteristics of Formal Tests Reliability – how stable the test scores are. Can you repeat the test and get the same result Validity – does it measure what we think it measures?

Distribution of test scores Normal Distribution – the bell curve P. 152 Skewed distribution – p. 153 Mode – frequency of scores Median – the center point Range – lowest to highest Standard Deviation – p. 154

Forms of Test Scores Grade-Equivalent Scores – Student correctly answered the same number of questions as the average ___ grader in the ____ month of the ____ year. NOT AN INSTRUCTIONAL LEVEL If this is an 4th grade test and you did as well as a 12th grader would do on a 4th grade test, it does not mean you are at the 12th grade level. Percentile Scores – 1-99 Relative performance compared with a normed group. Stanines – “standard nines” Range is divide into 9 sections.

Norm Referenced Tests Achievement Tests – MAT, CTBS, Standford, CAT

Criterion Referenced Tests Measure progress towards a goal or criteria Basic example…spelling test Everyone can earn “100”

Benchmarks and Rubrics Benchmark – behavior standards and academic standards Describe what students are expected to do Used more broadly in our area to measure a yardstick by which all are measured.

State Standards and Assessments Common Core State Standards PSSA Keystones