What is a standardized test?
Tests are standardized when they are developed, administered, and scored using established procedures and guidelines. Following these procedures and guidelines helps ensure that all students are tested under the same conditions, that they are all given equal opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and abilities with respect to the content covered in the assessment, and that all scores are established and interpreted using appropriate criteria. Two types of standardized tests are: 1) norm-referenced tests, used to compare student performance to that of other students; and 2) criterion-referenced tests, used to measure student performance against a defined set of learning requirements or expectations. In developing standardized tests, test developers follow established procedures to create questions that reflect the curricula or the learning requirements. They also analyze the test to ensure that it measures student performance accurately and reliably. When standardized tests
