What is the standard measurement error in the history portion [of the eighth-grade ITBS]?
… I can’t give you a standard error off the top of my head. … It’s going to be based on a different test and a different score scale and what have you. For example, hypothetically, let’s assume the standard error for scores near the center (because [standard error] depends upon where the score is) might be five score points. So if you have a score of 75 … I know that 75 is not an accurate pinpoint estimate. There’s some amount of error in there. And what I’m saying with this notion of a standard error [is that] … if I could measure your true ability with no error, your score could be captured within the range of 70 to 80. … So it’s the notion of providing a range within which I believe your true ability lies. Parents and policymakers. How much do they know about that [range when they] look at tests? Very little. They believe the score you get is accurate and perfect. They have very, very little sense of understanding of error, which is a problem. … [I]f I’m one point below
