Are your state's tests well aligned to your state standards? Are they appropriately challenging at each grade level? Are passing scores set at rigorous but reasonable levels?

Standards and Assessment Alignment Review

Achieve works with content area specialists with deep backgrounds in standards and tests to evaluate state assessments in English language arts, math and science, determining how well they are aligned to the state's standards and judging their overall quality and rigor. This evaluation is based on Achieve's alignment protocol, which has now been used to analyze more than 80 tests in 14 states. Our alignment protocol was originally developed in 1998 with the Learning Research and Development Center at the University of Pittsburgh and has been continually refined and amplified to yield the most reliable data, interpretation and recommendations about the degree of alignment between a state's standards and tests. Content area specialists review not only the tests themselves but also all scoring information (e.g., rubrics, anchor papers, test reports), and they familiarize themselves with curriculum materials and relevant assessment development and administration policies. Achieve prepares detailed reports for states on the results of its alignment study and the overall quality of the state's assessments.

Front-End Alignment

Because so many states are faced with adding new tests in response to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law, Achieve also offers a front-end benchmarking service to provide states with a road map for building aligned assessments. In addition, Achieve has experience in analyzing off-the-shelf tests against a state's standards. By identifying gaps, Achieve provides concrete advice on aligning the exams to ensure they take full measure of the state's standards. Once the tests are constructed, Achieve is available to conduct periodic reviews to ensure the alignment between tests and standards remains strong.

Cut Score Analysis

NCLB and the expansion of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) have focused attention on each states' definitions of "proficiency" on their tests. The percentage of students who are "proficient" will now be used to calculate adequate yearly progress for schools, and state definitions will increasingly be compared with NAEP's definition and with each others'. Achieve has developed a process to determine both the rigor of an assessment and what, on average, it takes to pass. Our analysis addresses the critical question: Are the cut scores set at a rigorous but reasonable level? To answer this, Achieve has a unique procedure that describes the content and proficiency levels on tests across states so that each state can see whether its expectations are reasonable and how its definition of proficiency compares to that of others.

Benefits of Achieve's benchmarking services include benchmarking reports with objective analyses, customized tools and specific recommendations. Costs are calculated on a fee-for-service basis. Contact Achieve for more.