Customized Tests and Customized Norms

Abstract

With increasing interest in educational accountability, test results are now expected to meet a diverse set of informational needs. But a norm-referenced test (NRT) cannot be expected to meet the simultaneous demands for both norm-referenced and curriculum-specific information. One possible solution, which is the focus of this article, is to customize the NRT. Customized tests may appear in any form. They may (a) add a few curriculum-specific items to the end of the NRT, (b) substitute locally constructed items for a few NRT items, (c) substitute a curriculum-specific test (CST) for the NRT, or (d) use equating methods to obtain predicted NRT scores from the CST scores. In this article, we describe the four main approaches to customized testing, address the validity of the uses and interpretations of customized test scores obtained from the four main approaches, and offer recommendations regarding the use of customized tests and the need for further research. Results indicate that customized testing can yield both valid normative and curriculum- specific information, when special conditions exist. But, there are also many threats to the validity of normative interpretations. Cautious application of customized testing is needed in order to avoid misleading inferences about student achievement.