Testing

Testing is one method for collecting information to inform decision making. It involves eliciting individual responses to a set of structured tasks, often with the intent of obtaining a score that is representative of broader skills and/or knowledge. In most circumstances, test scores are used with information collected through other methods (e.g., record review, interview, observation) when making important decisions. In the following sections, a historical perspective on education testing is [Page 972]provided, as well as information on testing purposes, testing types, test development, and standards for test development and use. A variety of current issues in educational testing are also described.