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 Ensuring Quality Tests Testing companies take many steps to make sure tests are well-designed and accurately scored. Thousands of complex procedures and processes come into play during development and administration of standardized tests. These procedures include roughly 10 steps that are performed in close collaboration with states or school districts: Step 1: Develop Assessment Specifications Work with the state or school district to decide what knowledge and skills should be measured and the way(s) in which that knowledge should be tested. Step 2: Develop Assessment Materials Work with the state or school district to construct a draft test. Step 3: Review Assessment Materials Is the test constructed in the right way for its intended audience? Does the item align with the standard it is assessing? Is the test actually measuring what it is intended to measure? Step 4: Conduct Pilot Tests Are questions on the test formulated in a way that is easily understood by the population that will be taking the test? Step 5: Perform Tryout Studies Test the test. Step 6: Conduct Bias Reviews Are test items valid and fair? Step 7: Produce Test Materials Revise the draft test using new information that has been learned from tryout studies and bias reviews. Step 8: Produce Final Test Materials Manufacture the final paper or computer-based version of the test. Step 9: Plan for Test Administration Prepare to administer and score the test. Step 10: Score and Report Assessment Results Score the test and sending the results back to schools and students. Depending on the type of test being designed, additional steps may be added to the design and review process. But at every phase of the scoring process – no matter the type of test – testing companies conduct regular quality assurance checks in order to ensure that test results are accurate, comprehensive, timely and easily understood. Quality assurance methods adopted by the testing industry include: clearly defined scoring procedures and systems, reliable scoring technologies, ongoing training of personnel and constant oversight of the test scoring process. >>back to top |
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