ABSTRACT
Whether for educational admissions, school and student accountability, or public policy, large-scale assessment in the United States is undergoing enormous pressure to change. This pressure is most evident with respect to high-stakes tests, like those used for grade promotion or college entrance. However, it is becoming apparent for lower stakes survey instruments too, like the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP; e.g., Pellegrino, Jones, & Mitchell, 1999).
