The development process may include the following activities:
Test frameworks—sets of test competencies that define test content. The draft frameworks are based on sources including national standards for each field. The draft frameworks are reviewed and approved by committees of public school educators and educator preparation faculty across the country. This is typically a one-day meeting.
The purpose of the content validation survey is to ensure that the objectives identified for each field represent important aspects of the field and are consistent with the practice of public school educators. Public school educators throughout the country and faculty in educator preparation programs are asked to participate in the survey.
Test questions are prepared based on the validated frameworks and other relevant materials obtained from educators. Draft test questions are reviewed and approved by the committees of public school educators and educator preparation faculty. The Item Review Conference is a one- to- two-day meeting. There may be up to three Item Review Meetings for a test field.
Test questions are pilot tested to gather information about their quality and technical characteristics. The field test provides teacher candidates and other individuals at institutions the opportunity to prepare for future tests.
Content Advisory Committee members convene to review materials that will be used to score responses to constructed-response assignments. This is typically a one-day meeting.
The schedule and other information for National Evaluation Series test administrations
can be found on the National Evaluation Series website
at www.nestest.com
.
At this meeting, educators participate in a process for recommending a National Benchmark for a test. This is typically a one-day meeting. States may choose to use the National Benchmark as their state-specific passing standard.
Educators convene to review draft test materials, including test objectives and test items, for bias prevention and the inclusion of diversity in test materials. These are typically one- or two-day meetings held just before the content review meetings.
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