aReading Technical Foundations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which score scale does FastBridge aReading use to report student performance?
- Rasch Unit (RIT) scale (Correct answer)
- Normal Curve Equivalent (NCE)
- Scale Score ranging 100–800
- Raw score converted to percentile only
Correct answer: Rasch Unit (RIT) scale
FastBridge aReading reports results on the RIT (Rasch Unit) scale, which is an equal-interval scale allowing growth measurement across grade levels.
Question 2: What type of assessment design allows FastBridge aReading to adapt question difficulty in real time?
- Computer adaptive testing (CAT) (Correct answer)
- Fixed-form linear testing
- Portfolio-based assessment
- Curriculum-embedded testing
Correct answer: Computer adaptive testing (CAT)
aReading uses computer adaptive testing (CAT), adjusting item difficulty up or down based on each student's previous responses.
Question 3: What is the approximate number of items a student typically completes during one aReading administration?
- Approximately 30–40 items (Correct answer)
- Exactly 100 items
- Exactly 10 items
- Approximately 60–70 items
Correct answer: Approximately 30–40 items
aReading typically presents around 30–40 items per session, with the CAT algorithm determining the precise number needed to achieve a reliable estimate.
Question 4: Which reliability statistic is most commonly used to evaluate the precision of aReading scores?
- Standard error of measurement (SEM) (Correct answer)
- Cronbach's alpha only
- Test-retest correlation coefficient
- Cohen's kappa
Correct answer: Standard error of measurement (SEM)
The Standard Error of Measurement (SEM) is the primary reliability indicator for adaptive tests like aReading, indicating how much a score may fluctuate.
Question 5: In the context of FastBridge aReading, what does 'norming' refer to?
- Comparing a student's score to a nationally representative sample (Correct answer)
- Setting a fixed cut score for all students
- Measuring growth from one season to the next
- Adjusting scores for student age
Correct answer: Comparing a student's score to a nationally representative sample
Norming compares individual student scores to those of a nationally representative sample to generate percentile ranks and norm-referenced scores.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the purpose of benchmark cut scores in aReading?
- They identify students who are at, above, or below grade-level expectations (Correct answer)
- They determine which students must retake the assessment
- They set the starting difficulty for the adaptive algorithm
- They convert raw scores to standard scores
Correct answer: They identify students who are at, above, or below grade-level expectations
Benchmark cut scores classify students into performance categories (e.g., at risk, some risk, low risk) relative to grade-level expectations.
Question 7: How does FastBridge aReading handle item exposure to prevent students from sharing answers?
- Each student receives a unique set of items drawn from a large item bank (Correct answer)
- All students receive the same 40 items in random order
- Items rotate on a fixed annual schedule
- Teachers select items from a public item list
Correct answer: Each student receives a unique set of items drawn from a large item bank
The large item bank combined with adaptive selection means each student's item set is effectively unique, minimizing item exposure risks.
aReading Technical Foundations 2
Which score scale does FastBridge aReading use to report student performance?