Criterion-referenced tests can provide information about which of the following?

Criterion-referenced tests can provide information about which of the following?

• A. Mastered prerequisite skills
• B. All of the above
• C. Readiness to proceed to the next level of instruction
• D. Which instructional materials might be helpful in covering program objectives

Answer: (A)

Criterion-referenced assessments are designed to show what a student has learned by measuring performance against specific skills or standards, not against how others perform. They produce a clear profile of mastery versus need for instruction on each targeted skill. Because of that focus, they’re especially helpful for identifying which prerequisite skills a learner has already mastered before moving on to more advanced content. For example, if a reading test is aligned to prerequisites like letter recognition and basic decoding, the results let you see whether those foundational steps are in place. Other uses—such as deciding readiness to proceed to the next level or guiding which instructional materials to use—can be informed by the results, but they’re secondary to the primary purpose: showing which prerequisite skills have been mastered.

Criterion-referenced assessments are designed to show what a student has learned by measuring performance against specific skills or standards, not against how others perform. They produce a clear profile of mastery versus need for instruction on each targeted skill.

Because of that focus, they’re especially helpful for identifying which prerequisite skills a learner has already mastered before moving on to more advanced content. For example, if a reading test is aligned to prerequisites like letter recognition and basic decoding, the results let you see whether those foundational steps are in place.

Other uses—such as deciding readiness to proceed to the next level or guiding which instructional materials to use—can be informed by the results, but they’re secondary to the primary purpose: showing which prerequisite skills have been mastered.