the college board: expanding college opportunity the college board is a national nonprofit...

The College Board:Expanding College Opportunity

The College Board is a national nonprofit membership association dedicated to preparing, inspiring, and connecting students to college and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the association is composed of more than 4,200 schools, colleges, universities, and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves over three million students and their parents, 22,000 high schools, and 3,500 colleges through major programs and services in college admissions, guidance, assessment, financial aid, enrollment, and teaching and learning. Among its best-known programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, and the Advanced Placement Program® (AP®). The College Board is committed to the principles of equity and excellence, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities, and concerns.

For further information, contact www.collegeboard.com.

Philosophy of the College Board Admissions Battery

The new core exam in combination with SAT II Subject Tests will

communicate to students that the best way to prepare for college is

to take and excel in a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum.

Properties of new core exam and SAT II Subject Test

• Meet the highest psychometric standards to ensure reliability and fairness

• Aligned to content in A-G courses and national disciplinary standards (e.g., NCTM) to measure mastery

• Test scores inform students & parents of student’s strengths and weaknesses in reading, math, writing, and subjects covered by SAT II Subject Tests

• Predict success at UC• Valid, affordable, and fair

Transportability and Comparability of Scores

• Transportability: Scores from the new core exam and SAT II Subject Tests can be used by non-UC institutions for admissions

• Transportability: Scores for out-of-state students on the SAT I and SAT II can be used by UC institutions for admissions

• Comparability: Scores on the new core exam can be compared with SAT I scores to protect the value of longitudinal data important to valid comparisons and decision criteria

The College BoardAdmissions Battery

New core exam• Reading Comprehension• Math• Writing (with essay)• Equating/Research Section• Provide a composite score

Subject-specific exams• 22 SAT II Subject Tests from which to choose

Information to Students,Parents, and Educators

• Test specifications will be set to maximize the amount of diagnostic information that can be provided initially and over time

• Information will be related to diagnosing weaknesses and improving skills

• The College Board has additional services for students and schools to assist in addressing weaknesses (professional development and instructional materials) as part of our College Board System

College Board Test Development

The College Board will create a National Test Development Committee to review and revise specifications in order to:• Ensure test content is aligned with content

in high school courses• Ensure items are related to the types of

instruction conducted in the schools • Ensure test design work begins this spring• Ensure test development and research meet

with UC approval (need 27–30 months)

College Board Test Development

The National Test Development Committee will be formed with representatives from• Colleges within and outside of California• Secondary schools within and outside of

California• National Council of Teachers of

Mathematics/English• Mathematics and Language Arts educators

Schedule for Development of Test

• National Test Development Committees formed in reading & math (spring ’02)

• Writing samples will be similar to the SAT II Writing Test

• Field testing of core required in CA high schools• Test construction and research will begin only after

College Board’s new core examination is approved• 27 to 30 months will be needed after UC approval

before the first test administration can be offered (July approval would result in first administrationin Oct ’04–Jan ’05)

Administration Plans• Offer at least three administrations in first two

years (Oct., Nov., March/April) on same dates and in CB testing centers used in CA

• Monitor exam registrations and demand and increase testing sites and administrations if required

• Make common cause with UC to communicate new UC testing requirements, testing opportunities, and fee waivers to CA high schools

The College BoardAdmissions Battery

Together, the College Board new core exam and SAT II Subject Tests will be:• Curriculum related and instructionally relevant• Aligned to professional and state standards• Increasingly authentic, with essay and

student-produced-response items in math

Fairness of College Board Tests

• The College Board’s Test Developer — Educational Testing Service — is committed to producing tests and other products that acknowledge the multicultural nature of society and treat diverse populations with respect.

• ETS focuses on fairness during:• Test Design• Test Fairness Review• Post Administration Statistical Analysis (DIF)

Test Design

• Test Specifications are set by knowledgeable subject matter experts

• Every effort is made to ensure that test development committees are diverse and representative

• Test Fairness is a primary goal of the test design process

Test Fairness Review

• Every test question and every test is examined for• Inappropriate Terminology• Stereotyping• Underlying Assumptions• Ethnocentrism• Tone• Inflammatory Material

Post Administration Statistical Analysis (DIF)

• Differential Item Functioning (DIF)• Responses to test questions are analyzed• Do examinees of similar ability from

different ethnic and gender groups perform differentially?

• Items on which there is differential functioning are routinely excluded from the test or not scored