Abstract

MEDINA-DIAZ, María del Rosario. Alignment between an achievement test and curriculum standards: From discourse to methods. Educ. Puc. [online]. 2016, vol.21, n.3, pp.371-382. ISSN 2318-0870.  https://doi.org/10.5965/151939932112016371.

The alignment between a measurement instrument, such as an achievement test, and curriculum standards is one of the requirements for complying with the past No Child Left Behind Act (Public Law 107-110) and the recent Every Student Succeeds (Public Law 114-95) in the states and territories of the United States of America, including Puerto Rico. Alignment refers to the degree to which curriculum standards are in agreement with items of an achievement test. This paper briefly presents some of the traditional (i.e., test blueprint and expert content review) and particular alignment methods (i.e., developed by researchers) that can be applied. It highlights the methods proposed by Norman Webb and Andrew Porter and colleagues. The author argues that the political and educational agency executives’ speeches on alignment are insufficient to sustain the law’s requirements. Clearly described methods and results must be demonstrated. Also, the alignment findings are not enough evidence to support the validity of the interpretations and inferences of achievement test scores regarding the students’ learning in schools.

Keywords : Alignment; Curriculum standards; Achievement test.

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