Establishing Validity on the
Achieve American Diploma Project
Algebra II Exam
September 25-26, 2008
NCIEA
Who is Achieve, Inc.?
Created by the nation’s governors and
business leaders, Achieve, Inc., is a
bipartisan non-profit organization that
helps states raise academic standards,
improve assessments and strengthen
accountability to prepare all young people
for postsecondary education and training,
careers, and citizenship.
American Diploma Project
■ The American Diploma Project (ADP) was
created to ensure all graduates leave high
school ready for college and careers.
■ Early research by ADP sought to identify
“must-have” knowledge and skills graduates
will need to be successful in college and the
workplace.
The ADP Benchmarks: Challenging
content for all students
To cover the content in the ADP benchmarks,
high school graduates need:
■ In Mathematics: ■ In English:
● A rigorous four-year ● Four courses
course sequence ● Content equivalent to
● Content* equivalent to four years of grade-
a sequence that level English or higher
includes Algebra I and with a strong focus on
II, Geometry, and Data oral and written
Analysis & Statistics communication skills
and considerable
*can be taught via different research and analysis
pathways
ADP Policy Agenda
■ Align high school standards with college
and career expectations.
■ Require all students to take curriculum
aligned with standards.
■ Include “college-ready” tests,
aligned with state standards, in
high school assessment system.
■ Hold high schools accountable for
graduating students college- and career-
ready, and hold postsecondary institutions
accountable for student success.
ADP Algebra II
End-of-Course Exam
In 2005, ADP states began to explore possibility
of collaborating on common assessment goals:
■ To measure “college-ready” content
■ To ensure consistent content and rigor in
Algebra II courses within and among states
■ To enable comparisons in performance among
the states
■ To reduce test development costs by working
together
■ To be considered for postsecondary
placement purposes
Exam Core Content
Operations on Numbers and Expressions
•Real numbers
•Complex numbers
•Algebraic expressions
Equations and Inequalities
•Linear equations and inequalities
•Nonlinear equations and inequalities
Polynomial and Rational Functions
•Quadratic functions
•Higher-order polynomial and rational functions
Exponential functions
•Exponential functions
Function Operations and Inverses
•Function operations and composition
•Inverse functions
•Piecewise functions
Exam Core Design
■ 57 operational items
■ Two untimed sessions (approximately 90
minutes each)
■ One with calculator/one without
■ Multiple choice, short answer & extended
response items
■ At least 30% of points from non-multiple
choice items
■ Paper & Pencil/Online format
● Spring 2008 Paper & Pencil format only
Algebra II Exam: Modules to
extend rigor and scope
Items for modules have been created and field tested,
but at this time, no state has opted to purchase them.
■ Content:
■ Design:
● Data & Statistics
● 8 items each
● 20-25 minute session
● Probability
● All with calculator
● Trigonometric
Functions ● Multiple choice, short
● Logarithmic Functions answer & extended
response items
● Matrices
● 30% of points from non-
● Conic Sections multiple choice items
● Sequences & Series ● Paper & Pencil/Online
format
Algebra II Exam: Milestones
■ First Operational Pencil & Paper: Spring 2008
■ First Operational Online: Winter 2008/09
■ Validity and Research Studies with Colleges and
Universities: Fall 2008 and Winter 2009
■ Standard Setting: Summer 2009
Validity Overview
■ Content Validity
■ Procedural Validity
■ Alignment Evidence
■ College Readiness Evidence-Predictive Validity
& Concurrent Validity
■ Standard Setting
■ Reporting
■ Consequential Validity
College Readiness
■ College Readiness Evidence
● Concurrent Validity
◆ What is the relationship between Algebra II and other
“known” tests (ACT, SAT, placement tests . . .)?
● Predictive Validity (Cross-sectional now then longitudinal
as a cohort reaches college)
◆ What is the relationship between Algebra II and success on
the first semester credit-bearing college course?
● Expert Judgment
◆ Where do College Professors that teach first semester credit-
bearing courses believe the readiness cut should be?
Standard Setting
■ Different Approach for College Readiness
◆ Empirical validity evidence will inform standard setting
(based on studies previously described)
◆ The consortium of states, National Education Leaders, and
Achieve will serve as the “Board” to review the evidence
and recommend cut scores. They will use the Briefing
Book approach.
◆ The PLD will have two components: an empirical basis
based on probability of success in college and descriptions
of the type of skills that students demonstrate at each level.
More Information
For more information on Achieve,
please visit Achieve, Inc., on the Web at
http://www.achieve.org
For more information on ADP Algebra II End-of-
Course Exam,
please visit Achieve, Inc., on the Web at
http://www.achieve.org/AlgebraIITestOverview
Contact Achieve:
Robert Triscari rtriscari@achieve.org
Tracy Halka thalka@achieve.org
About this copy
Establishing Validity on the Achieve American Diploma Project Algebra II Exam — Center for Assessment Reidy Interactive Lecture Series, September 2008.
This is an image-based copy of the original PowerPoint slides; builds and animations are flattened.