This article details the early kindergarten transition (EKT) program evaluation study conducted by a university–district partnership, as well as testimony from district leadership on the utility of the research deliverables and the longterm benefits of the research collaboration.

The current study outlines a general process for measuring item-level effort that can be applied to an expanded set of item types and test-taking behaviors (such as omitted or constructed responses). This process, which is illustrated with data from a large-scale assessment program, should improve our ability to detect non-effortful test taking and perform individual score validation.

Image descriptions are important to make computer-based assessments accessible to students using assistive technology (AT) devices, such as screen readers and refreshable braille displays. NWEA, with support from the National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM), has created guidelines for describing many variations of images, charts, and graphics targeted specifically to the disciplines of reading, language usage, science, and mathematics.

Creating tests and items from the beginning with Universal Design for Learning in mind, removing barriers by adding alt-tags, and incorporating more culturally rich materials are all steps NWEA is doing to improve our equity for all students.

This study examined the measurement stability of a set of Rasch measurement scales that have been in place for almost 40 years.

The major purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of CAT test design and bank distribution on the content coverage and the efficiency of the tests.

NWEA recently launched a new tool called College Explorer that enables middle school and early high school-age students to use their Measures of Academic Progress ® (MAP®) scores to see which colleges and universities they’re on track to enter long before they embark on the college application process.