Rater-mediated assessments require the evaluation of the accuracy and consistency of the inferences made by the raters to ensure the validity of score interpretations and uses. Modeling rater response processes allows for a better understanding of how raters map their representations of the examinee performance to their representation of the…

An overview is given of the consensus process for development of the frameworks underlying the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessments, with emphasis on those for the 1990 and 1992 mathematics assessments, the 1992 reading assessment, and the 1994 science assessments. Innovative techniques for 1992 are described. (SLD)