

The potential of adaptive assessment
In this article, the authors explain how CAT provides a more precise, accurate picture of the achievement levels of both low-achieving and high-achieving students by adjusting questions as the testing goes along. The immediate, informative test results enable teachers to differentiate instruction to meet individual students’ current academic needs.
By: Edward Freeman
Topics: Innovations in reporting & assessment, Measurement & scaling, Student growth & accountability policies


The phantom collapse of student achievement in New York
When New York state released the first results of the exams under the Common Core State Standards, many wrongly believed that the results showed dramatic declines in student achievement. A closer look at the results showed that student achievement may have increased.
By: John Cronin, Nate Jensen
Topics: Measurement & scaling


The utility of adaptive testing in addressing the problem of unmotivated examinees
This integrative review examines the motivational benefits of computerized adaptive tests (CATs), and demonstrates that they can have important advantages over conventional tests in both identifying instances when examinees are exhibiting low effort, and effectively addressing the validity threat posed by unmotivated examinees.
By: Steven Wise
Topics: Measurement & scaling, Innovations in reporting & assessment, School & test engagement


This study, using real data, provides empirical evidence of construct and invariance construct of MAP scales across grades at different academic calendars for 10 different states.
By: Shudong Wang, Marth S. McCall, Hong Jiao, Gregg Harris
Topics: Measurement & scaling, Test design


The current investigative study uses a multiple-indicator, latent-growth modelling (MLGM) approach to examine the longitudinal achievement construct and its invariance for MAP Growth.
By: Shudong Wang, Hong Jiao, Liru Zhang
Topics: Measurement & scaling, Growth modeling


These studies are conducted based on assumptions under regular conditions for fixed test forms, such as no missing responses and normal distribution of unidimensional ability for a population.
By: Shudong Wang, Hong Jiao
Topics: Measurement & scaling, Computer adaptive testing, Item response theory


Do high flyers maintain their altitude? Performance trends of top students
In this study from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, achievement trends from NWEA’s longitudinal growth database were used to track students who scored at or above the 90th percentile on this assessment in order to see if they maintained their high achievement.
By: Yun Xiang, Michael Dahlin, John Cronin, Robert Theaker, Sarah Durant
Topics: Equity, High-growth schools & practices