Quality Testing Standards and Criteria for Comparability Claims. Version 6.17.2020

New Meridian Corporation has developed the "Quality Testing Standards and Criteria for Comparability Claims" (QTS). The goal of the QTS is to provide guidance to states that are interested in including content from the New Meridian item bank and intend to make comparability claims with "other assessments" that include New Meridian content. Note that "other assessments" could mean New Meridian test forms administered in another state, or it could mean the state's previous assessments that include New Meridian assessment content but administered or scored by a different testing vendor going forward. The criteria described in the QTS serves as the basis for the comparability review process. The QTS includes criteria for evaluating the feasibility of comparability claims in three "areas" of a testing program: (1) Design; (2) Administration; and (3) Scoring. Within each area, there are two main sections. The first section is the "Guidelines for High Quality Tests," which describes the best practices or processes needed to support a high-quality testing program that yields valid and reliable outcomes. It serves as the foundation for the second main section, "Evaluative Criteria for Comparability Claims." This section specifies the expectations for participating states that wish to make comparability claims based on New Meridian assessment content. It includes two subsections: (1) Supporting Evidence; and (2) Criteria for Comparability Evaluation. This document is part of a set of materials that together define a system for evaluating the types of comparability claims that can be made by participating states using New Meridian's content. [For the other materials in this set, see "New Meridian Comparability Review Guidelines. Version 6.17.2020" (ED606679); "'Quality Testing Standards' -- A Starter Kit for States. Version 6.17.2020" (ED606681); and "Standard Processes. Version 6.17.2020" (ED606682).]