Chemistry, 1996-2000

Evaluation of the Voluntary National Tests, Year 2
Copyright
Acknowledgments
Contents
Executive Summary
	ITEM QUALITY AND READINESS
	TECHNICAL ISSUES IN TEST DEVELOPMENT
	INCLUSION AND ACCOMMODATION
1 Introduction and History
	VNT YEAR 1 EVALUATION
		Test Specifications
		Test Items
		Pilot and Field Test Plans
		Inclusion and Accommodation
		Reporting Plans
	OVERVIEW OF PLANNED YEAR 2 EVALUATION
		Scope of Work
		Report Purpose and Organization
2 Item Quality and Readiness
	ITEM DEVELOPMENT
		Item Status as of April 1999
		AIR Plans for Further Item Development
	ITEM REVIEW PROCESS
		Sampling Completed Items
		Expert Panel
		Comparison Sample of NAEP Items
		Rating Booklet Design
		Rating Task
	RESULTS
		Item Quality Ratings
			Agreement Among Panelists
			Overall Evaluation
			Evaluation of Different Types of Items
			Specific Comments
		Matching VNT Items to the NAEP Achievement-Level Descriptions
	CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
3 Technical Issues in Test Development
	SCORE REPORTING
	PILOT TEST PLANS
		Forms Design
			Use of School Clusters
			Use of Hybrid Forms
			NAEP Anchor Forms
			Item Calibration
		Forms Assembly and Item Survival Rates
	PILOT TEST ANALYSES
		Differential Item Functioning
		Operational Form Difficulty and Information Targets
	RECOMMENDATIONS
4 Inclusion and Accommodation
	THE CHALLENGES OF INCLUSION AND ACCOMMODATION
	YEAR 1 EVALUATION FINDINGS
	INTERIM YEAR 2 FINDINGS
	CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
References