Evidence-Centered Assessment Design as a Foundation for Achievement-Level Descriptor Development and for Standard Setting

Abstract

In many large-scale assessment programs, achievement level descriptors (ALDs) provide a critical role in communicating what scores on the assessment mean and in interpreting what examinees know and are able to do based on their test performance. Based on their test performance, examinees are often classified into performance categories. The descriptions of what these performance categories mean are communicated through the ALDs. In addition to providing supporting information for score interpretations, ALDs may also serve an important role in setting the cut scores on the score scale that determine the categorization of examinees' scores into the performance categories. The standard setting process is used to establish these cut scores. The purpose of this article is to provide a methodology to directly connect evidence-centered assessment design (ECD) to score interpretation and use through the development of ALDs and to explore how ECD-based ALDs can be leveraged in standard setting.

Notes

¹Each claim is always paired with observable evidence, which explicitly defines what is unobservable in the claim.

²A score of 2 is defined by the College Board as “possibly qualified,” but a score of 3 is generally the lowest score for which credit or advanced placement is granted.

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