Are standardized tests fair to women and minority students?
We go to great lengths to see that the tests we develop are fair to everyone. Every question on every test that we produce goes through a careful review process to ensure that it does not favor — or penalize — any particular group of students. It is also important to remember that if groups of students (such as males and females or White and Black students) have different average scores on the same test, it does not necessarily mean that the test is biased. If the groups actually have different knowledge and skills due to different educational backgrounds and opportunities, the scores will reflect those differences.
ETS conducts extensive research and applies rigorous quality standards to ensure that the tests we develop are fair to people worldwide. Every question on every test that we produce undergoes a careful review process to ensure that it does not favor — or penalize — any particular group of students. Groups of students (such as male, female, Black, Hispanic, etc.) may have different average scores on the same test. This does not necessarily mean that the test is biased. If the groups actually have different knowledge and skills because of different educational backgrounds and opportunities, the scores will reflect those differences.
