So Much Remains the Same: Conception and Status of Validation in Setting Standards

Standard setting is a critical step in the design of high-stakes testing programs (e.g., licensure and certification tests, high school graduation tests). Where individuals are to be categorized differently depending on their test scores, the decision rules are typically defined in terms of cutscores, and the values of the cutscores can have a major impact on individual decisions. Even a small change in a cutscore can produce a substantial change in the results.