Aligning science assessment items from the Iowa Testing Program batteries and the State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards with the National Science Education Content Standards

This research study determined the nature and extent of alignment between science content standards and standardized assessments used to measure science proficiency. The alignment process involved external expert blind review and document analysis. Documents reviewed included the National Science Education Content Standards (NSECS), the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS), the Iowa Tests of Educational Development (ITED) and the State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards (SCASS). Webb's alignment criteria of Categorical Concurrence, Depth of Knowledge, Range of Knowledge Correspondance and Balance of Representation were used to determine acceptable alignment.; A pilot study was conducted on Form B ITBS and ITED items and Phase II SCASS items. Inter-rater reliability was determined and consensus building dialogs were conducted.; The three research questions were: What is the nature and extent of alignment between the NSECS and Form A ITBS, Levels 9–14? What is the nature and extent of alignment between the NSECS and Form ITED, Levels 15–17/18? What is the nature and extent of alignment between the NSECS and Phase III SCASS Science items?; The major findings indicated that none of the assessments had comprehensive alignment of all of the NSECS. However, most did have acceptable categorical concurrence with Science as Inquiry, Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science. Most did not have acceptable Categorical Concurrence with Science and Technology, Science in Personal and Social Perspectives and History and Nature of Science.; More than half of the assessment items were categorized Beyond Knowledge level of Bloom's Taxonomy (Depth of Knowledge). Of the standards with acceptable Categorical Concurrence between 43% and 86% of the fundamental components aligned (Range of Knowledge Correspondence). And the Index of Balance of representation indicated an equal distribution of the items across all of the fundamental components of the NSECS with acceptable alignment.; Further implications and future research questions, in addition to an elaboration of the fundamental components assessed by each standardized assessment analyzed are explored in the paper.