A Consumer’s Guide to Setting Performance Standards on Criterion-Referenced Tests

Abstract

This review identifies 38 methods for either setting standards or adjusting them based on an analysis of classification error rates. A trilevel classification scheme is used to categorize the methods, and 10 criteria of technical adequacy and practicability are proposed to evaluate them. The salient characteristics of 23 continuum standard-setting methods are described and evaluated in the form of a “consumer’s guide.” Specific recommendations are offered for classroom teachers, educational certification test specialists, licensing and certification boards, and test publishers and independent test contractors.