Test equating for measuring system progress in longitudinal surveys of student academic achievement

Abstract

In 2001 and 2007 Vietnam conducted its first and second surveys of student achievement at primary school level in two key subject areas: literacy and mathematics. In order to track the progress of grade 5 students at the system level, the 2001 and 2007 tests were linked using common items. This paper presents the process used to link the two literacy tests. Several issues arose in the equating process of the two tests. This paper discusses these issues and the implications for assessment design and analysis to enable reliable and valid measures of student progress in longitudinal large-scale studies.