Questar Test Performance Analysis 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A performance analysis shows that 80% of students in a class answered a particular item correctly. This item's difficulty index (p-value) is:
- 0.20
- 0.80 (Correct answer)
- 80
- 1.80
Correct answer: 0.80
The item difficulty p-value equals the proportion of students who answered correctly, so 80% = 0.80.
Question 2: On a Questar growth model, a student's SGP (Student Growth Percentile) of 70 means the student grew more than:
- 70% of all students statewide
- 70% of academically similar peers (Correct answer)
- 30% of academically similar peers
- 70% of students in their school
Correct answer: 70% of academically similar peers
SGPs compare a student's growth to that of academic peers—students with similar prior achievement—not to all students.
Question 3: Which action would MOST directly improve the instructional validity of a Questar performance analysis?
- Sorting scores from highest to lowest
- Mapping assessment items to specific learning standards (Correct answer)
- Calculating the class average
- Sharing results only with administrators
Correct answer: Mapping assessment items to specific learning standards
Mapping items to standards ensures that performance data can be translated into targeted instructional decisions aligned to curriculum goals.
Question 4: In a strand-level Questar report, a student shows 90% mastery in 'Number Sense' but only 40% in 'Algebraic Reasoning.' The teacher should prioritize:
- Further enrichment in Number Sense
- Targeted intervention in Algebraic Reasoning (Correct answer)
- Retesting the student in all strands
- Removing Algebra from the curriculum
Correct answer: Targeted intervention in Algebraic Reasoning
The large gap in Algebraic Reasoning indicates an unmet learning need that requires targeted intervention to achieve balanced proficiency.
Question 5: A Questar assessment measures what it was designed to measure. This quality is known as:
- Reliability
- Standardization
- Validity (Correct answer)
- Norming
Correct answer: Validity
Validity is the degree to which an assessment actually measures the construct or skills it is intended to assess.
Question 6: When reviewing Questar data, a principal sees that subgroup gaps have narrowed over three years. This trend is best described as evidence of:
- Declining rigor
- Improved equity in student outcomes (Correct answer)
- Random score fluctuation
- Grading inflation
Correct answer: Improved equity in student outcomes
Narrowing subgroup gaps over multiple years is a key indicator that equity-focused instructional strategies are producing results.
Question 7: An analyst finds that high-achieving students selected the wrong answer for an item at a higher rate than low-achieving students. This is an example of:
- Positive discrimination
- Negative item discrimination (Correct answer)
- Standard error of measurement
- Ceiling effect
Correct answer: Negative item discrimination
Negative discrimination occurs when higher-performing students answer an item incorrectly more often than lower-performing students, suggesting a flawed item.
Questar Test Performance Analysis 3
A performance analysis shows that 80% of students in a class answered a particular item correctly.
This item's difficulty index (p-value) is: