Content validity evidence is presented in terms of how the high school assessments were created to reflect Maryland’s Core Learning Goals (see chapter 2). In addition, an alignment study of the HSA geometry assessment and the geometry core learning goals was conducted independently by Achieve, Inc. Fairness or lack of bias is evidenced by the item development procedures (see chapter 2), and examination of items for differential item functioning with respect to gender and race/ethnicity (see chapter 5). Analysis of the internal structures of the assessments will be conducted in 2004.
Reliabilities for the 2003 administration are found in Tables 14a and 14b of the Maryland High School Assessment Program 2003 Technical Report (February 29, 2004 CTB/McGraw-Hill).
Also included in Chapter 8 are the following related reports.
8.1 Shortening the High School Assessment
Gary Schaeffer and Dianne Henderson of the Research Department of CTB explain and illustrate in this memo issues relative to the reduction of items in the high school assessments.
8.2 Technical Documentation for Achieve Alignment Study: Geometry
MSDE contracted Achieve, Inc. to conduct an external alignment evaluation of Mathematics Core Learning Goal 2 to the Geometry high school assessment. This document explains the conclusions the Achieve team reached as a result of this study.
Section 1 of the report is the Technical findings for which five criteria were central in determining the degree of alignment between the assessment and state standards. These criteria are
- Confirmation of the test blueprint
- Content centrality
- Performance centrality
- Challenge
- Balance and range
Section 2 of the report includes tables showing Item Mapping of the items to the Core Learning Goal indicators.
8.3 2003 Technical Report
This report prepared by the research psychometricians of CTB/McGraw-Hill, Inc. is a detailed study of the 2003 test administration. The following sections are included, along with relative tables:
- Background and Overview
- January and May 2003 Administrations
- The 2003 Test Forms
- Samples for Research Analyses, Calibration, and Equating
- Initial Data Preparation Review, and Quality Assurance Procedures
- Classical Item Analysis and Date Quality Assurance
- Calibration, Equating and Scoring Procedures
- Item Fit Assessment
- Scoring the January and May 2003 Test Forms
- Scale Score Results and Standard Errors of the Equated Maryland High School Assessments