An Assessment of a Mathematics Benchmark Testing Program: Are Benchmark Examinations Worth It?

• In Event: Roundtable Session 110
  In Roundtable Session: Assessment of Science and Mathematics Skills

Abstract

Since the inception of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), focus on standardized testing has become a focus of many districts in the US. Using data from a southern, diverse school district, an assessment of a mathematics benchmark testing program is completed. Three research issues are examined; 1) individual item analysis is completed using the 3PL IRT model to assess if items are functioning as intended by the tests, 2) DIF analyses are performed to determine if items function similarly for each examination group, and 3) correlation analyses are performed to determine if these examinations function to predict how students will perform on state examinations. Preliminary findings indicate some problems with benchmark examinations and their continued use may not be warranted.

Author

• Albert Manuel Jimenez, University of Georgia