Cognitive diagnostic models (CDMs) provide pedagogically relevant information in the form of a student profile of multiple binary categorizations of students into mastery or nonmastery statuses on latent traits called attributes. Federal educational accountability requires accountability measures to designate students into one of at least three…

Student growth percentiles (SGPs) have become a common means to measure and report on student academic growth for state education accountability, and some states have adopted SGP cutscores as a means of classifying student growth into categories like "high/medium/low" growth. It has therefore become important to understand properties of…

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of three commonly used model fit indices when measurement invariance is tested in the context of multiple-group CFA analysis with categorical-ordered data. As applied researchers are increasingly aware of the importance of testing measurement invariance, as well as Likert-type scales are…

Despite the increasing demand for diagnostic information, observed subscores have been often reported to lack adequate psychometric qualities such as reliability, distinctiveness, and validity. Therefore, several statistical techniques based on CTT and IRT frameworks have been proposed to improve the quality of subscores. More recently, DCM has…

Since the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act required classifications of students' performance levels, test scores have been used to measure students' achievement; in particular, test scores are used to determine whether students reach a proficiency level in the state assessment. Accordingly, school districts have started using benchmark assessments…

Curriculum-based measurements (CBM) are used in schools to screen students for academic difficulties. Oral reading fluency curriculum-based measures (CBM-R) are the most popular, yet several studies have identified predictive bias in CBM-Rs in relation to key variables (e.g., race, sex). Despite a massive increase in the use of these measures as…

Scholars have long explored the lack of diversity in gifted-and-talented education and specifically the role that gifted-and-talented test performance plays as a barrier to access. However, there is limited work, particularly quantitative work, examining the ways in which policies perpetuate racial/ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities within the…

Early identification of at-risk students is a critical element of Response to Intervention (RTI) but there are few validated universal screeners for high school mathematics. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the screening system currently in use at one urban Texas public high school and compared its effectiveness to alternate screening…

Community colleges across the United States are adopting multiple measures policies that place students into college-level or developmental coursework based on more than one indicator of student ability. Historically, community colleges relied on high-stakes tests for student placement but recent studies have exposed these as unreliable indicators…

Assessment of specific learning disabilities (SLD) in educational settings is one important function of a school psychologist. The federal definition of SLD describes "underlying cognitive processing deficits" as part of the assessment criteria, that is also incorporated in several states' SLD eligibility criteria, that is difficult to…

Studies have shown that language assessment literacy (LAL) is important for language teachers since they make important classroom decisions to improve student learning based on their assessment. However, some studies have shown that teachers need more knowledge and skills in assessment. Teachers also seem unconfident in assessing their students…

The state of Colorado is committed to closing the attainment gap and strengthening its economic fabric. Policy changes in required cut scores for college admission have been designed to facilitate a smoother transition from high school to higher education, particularly for students with developmental writing needs. This study utilized a cluster…

The purpose of this action research study is to identify, implement, and evaluate best practices in reading improvement in third grade at Greenleaf Upper Elementary (pseudonym) in support of a process of continuous improvement. The study followed a mixed methods design. The student participants in this study were 47 third grade students who…

Cut-score setting processes are used to establish the passing standards for all kinds of tests in education and for credentialing. While experts use their best efforts to guide cut-score setting processes to generate valid and reliable results, cut-score participants often have a difficult time understanding the standard at which the cut score is…

This dissertation is comprised of three papers that propose and apply psychometric models to deal with complexities and challenges in large-scale assessments, focusing on modeling rater effects and complex learning progressions. In particular, three papers investigate extensions and applications of multilevel and multidimensional item response…