Grades 3-8 Technical Information and Reports
Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics Tests Technical Reports
The purpose of the technical report for the Grades 3-8 English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics tests is to provide information on test development, scaling and equating, scoring, reliability, and validity. This report is updated every year to reflect the technical details of the above procedures and to provide information about student performance using current year's operational data. Finally any changes to the assessment will be documented in the report.
The comparability memo is a supplemental document that is released to provide information about the results of the comparability study conducted each year for the Grades 3-8 ELA and Mathematics paper-based and computer-based tests.
Standard Setting and Standards Review
The standard setting report is an explanation of the process of what occurs during the standard setting meeting. Standard settings occur immediately after the first administration of an examination where there are changes in the СÖíÊÓƵ State Learning Standards. These reports will be updated every time new standards are adopted.
The standards review report is an explanation of the process of what occurs during a standards review meeting. A standards review is necessary when there are no changes to the СÖíÊÓƵ State Learning Standards but there is a change to the test (i.e., shortened test length). Therefore, there is a need to ensure that the standards are being assessed as expected (i.e., whether a minimum score associated with each performance level needs to be adjusted).
External Benchmark Study
An external benchmark study is a study of the comparison of student performance on other assessments that measure or predict similar outcomes. In addition to the Standard Setting that occurred in 2013, there was an external benchmark study performed as well.Ìý
Past Technical Reports and Additional Resources
Past technical reports are available by request. For any questions, please email the Office of State Assessment atÌýemscassessinfo@nysed.gov
To return to the main Technical Reports website click here. Additional resources the department finds helpful can be found here.