What is the key characteristic of a norm-referenced standardized test?

Correct answer: It reports a student's performance relative to a representative sample group of other students.

Explanation

This question assesses the definition of a norm-referenced test, another foundational concept. The key takeaway is that these tests are about comparison and ranking against a 'norm group'.

Other questions

Question 1

What is the primary function of a criterion-referenced standardized test?

Question 3

If a student scores in the seventy-second percentile on a norm-referenced reading test, what does this indicate?

Question 4

What is considered a primary reason for the increased use of criterion-based tests in schools under standards-based accountability and NCLB?

Question 5

According to the text's example, what is a key difference in the information provided by a norm-referenced versus a criterion-referenced math test for a student named Alisha?

Question 6

What is an example of a high-stakes consequence of a standardized test for a student?

Question 7

According to the text, which of the following is NOT listed as a potential reason for a student to perform lower on a standardized assessment than on classroom assessments?

Question 8

In New York State, what happens if a home-schooled student scores below the thirty-third percentile on a required standardized test?

Question 9

The diagnosis of learning disabilities typically involves the administration of at least what two types of standardized tests?

Question 10

What is a key characteristic of aptitude tests that distinguishes them from achievement tests?

Question 11

Though they are sometimes classified as achievement tests, why are the SAT Subject Tests also considered aptitude tests?

Question 12

What is the main reason for the shift in terminology from 'Intelligence Tests' to terms like 'learning ability tests' or 'cognitive ability tests'?

Question 13

What are the three types of tests that comprise the PRAXIS series, which is commonly used for teacher licensure?

Question 14

How are diagnostic tests, used to identify strengths and weaknesses in skills like reading, often administered?

Question 15

Under the NCLB mandate, by 2005-2006, all states were required to test students in reading and mathematics annually in which grade spans?

Question 16

Which of the following is given as an example of a 'broad standard' in reading that is difficult for teachers to use for preparing students?

Question 17

According to the text, what is a primary problem that arises when a state has too many content standards for each subject area and grade level?

Question 18

According to a 2006 study by the American Federation of Teachers, how many states were judged to meet all three criteria of strong content standards, aligned tests, and transparency through online documents?

Question 19

What is the primary problem for teachers and students when high-stakes tests only sample a subset of numerous content standards each year?

Question 20

Under NCLB, states must specify what three levels of achievement for each grade level in each content area?

Question 21

In the hypothetical illustration of Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), why are initially lower-performing schools like School A more likely to fail to make AYP in the early years?

Question 22

In addition to overall student percentages, what other requirement must a school meet to achieve Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in a process called desegregation?

Question 23

To prevent schools from artificially inflating scores by having low-performing students miss the exam, what is the minimum average percentage of any subgroup that must take the exams each year for a school to make AYP?

Question 24

If a school fails to make AYP for three consecutive years, what sanction must be implemented?

Question 25

What is the primary conceptual difference between a 'proficiency model' like the original AYP system and a 'growth or value-added model' of assessment?

Question 26

What did the 2003 comparison of fourth-grade reading/language arts proficiency rates in Colorado and Missouri demonstrate about state standards?

Question 27

What is the primary purpose of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)?

Question 28

A national survey of teachers found that high-stakes tests had the greatest impact on the daily or weekly teaching of which group?

Question 29

What is the term for a listing of the number of students who obtained each score on a test?

Question 30

In the context of central tendency, what is the 'mode' of a distribution of scores?

Question 31

Why is the median often considered a more useful measure of central tendency for teachers than the mean when a distribution contains a few extreme scores (outliers)?

Question 32

What does the standard deviation of a set of test scores represent?

Question 33

In any normal distribution, what percentage of scores falls between the mean and one standard deviation below the mean?

Question 34

In the example of an IQ test with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15, 68 percent of scores fall between what two values?

Question 35

What is a z-score?

Question 36

A T-score of 70 is equivalent to what z-score?

Question 37

What are stanines, which are often used for reporting student scores?

Question 38

If a fourth-grade student, James, achieves a grade equivalent score of 6.0 on a reading test, what is the correct interpretation?

Question 39

What is a crucial assumption of grade equivalent scores that often makes them problematic and subject to misinterpretation?

Question 40

What is an example of social class bias in an item's content, as described in the text's discussion of the word 'field'?

Question 41

Recent analyses of the verbal SAT tests indicated what difference in performance on easy versus hard items between white students and students from minority groups?

Question 42

How did the recent addition of an essay component to the SAT affect the overall verbal scores of females relative to males?

Question 43

What is stereotype threat in the context of standardized testing?

Question 44

According to research, the performance of individuals from stereotyped groups declines when what two factors are emphasized about a test?

Question 45

What is one documented effect of high-stakes testing on curriculum in elementary schools?

Question 46

What is the concern about the amount of test preparation currently occurring in schools?

Question 47

Which of the following is described in the text as an unethical test preparation practice by educators?

Question 48

What is the primary use of a 'norm group' in standardized testing?

Question 49

What is the primary focus of international comparison tests like TIMSS and PISA?

Question 50

What is the term for a standard score that has been converted to a scale with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10?