Which statement best describes criterion-referenced tests in screening and assessment?

Which statement best describes criterion-referenced tests in screening and assessment?

• A. A Criterion-Referenced Test Measures How Well a Certain Child Has Mastered Various Developmental Domains.
• B. A Norm-Referenced Test Measures How a Child Compares to a Norm Group.
• C. A Criterion-Referenced Test Measures IQ.
• D. All Screening Instruments Are Used Only for Screening.

Answer: (A)

Criterion-referenced testing focuses on what a child can do against a fixed set of criteria or developmental milestones. It shows mastery of predetermined developmental domains, indicating which specific skills the child has achieved and which still need instruction. That’s why describing a criterion-referenced test as measuring how well a child has mastered various developmental domains matches the concept. In contrast, norm-referenced tests compare a child’s performance to a norm group, highlighting relative standing rather than whether particular skills or domains have been mastered. IQ measures are typically obtained through standardized, norm-referenced tools, not criterion-referenced ones. And while screening instruments can be used for ongoing assessment, they aren’t defined by measuring mastery against predetermined criteria.

Criterion-referenced testing focuses on what a child can do against a fixed set of criteria or developmental milestones. It shows mastery of predetermined developmental domains, indicating which specific skills the child has achieved and which still need instruction. That’s why describing a criterion-referenced test as measuring how well a child has mastered various developmental domains matches the concept. In contrast, norm-referenced tests compare a child’s performance to a norm group, highlighting relative standing rather than whether particular skills or domains have been mastered. IQ measures are typically obtained through standardized, norm-referenced tools, not criterion-referenced ones. And while screening instruments can be used for ongoing assessment, they aren’t defined by measuring mastery against predetermined criteria.