Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB): The Equity of ASVAB Form 14 in the Prediction of High School Course Grades

Abstract

Abstract : Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Form 14 scores and final course grades from approximately 8,000 high school students enrolled in 50 schools were collected. Course grades were obtained for courses taken during the year in which students were administered the ASVAB (1984-85) and the following year (1985-86). Twelve ASVAB composites scores were used as predictors of the criterion final course grades. ASVAB subsamples which proved to be valid predictors of course grade and were a sufficient size for analysis were included in the equity analysis. Overall, 94 courses by school year by grade level subsamples were investigated. Generally, gender and/or ethnic group membership information was needed in the prediction equations for all the ASVAB composites. Keywords: Armed services aptitude battery high school composites, Bias, Differential validity, Test construction.