Prior to the currently released High School Assessments, MSDE released prototype items which were developed as examples of how the content of the Core Learning Goals would be assessed. MSDE staff and Maryland teachers have been writing and selecting test items for the past three years. Potential test items go through an extensive process of editing and review to improve, correct, or eliminate poor items.
Items are then field tested in schools.
Data from the field test are analyzed. From the field test responses, MSDE selects for future forms only those items that help us reliably measure student performance. While the items in the public release form have been selected to be indicative of items that may be used in future years, there are three caveats. Both the number of items and the mix of selected and constructed response will vary in future forms of the assessment. The sample assessments now released do not include items that are currently being field-tested.