What do curriculum-referenced tests evaluate?

Curriculum-referenced tests specifically assess knowledge and skills that have been directly taught within a particular curriculum. This type of evaluation focuses on how well students have mastered the content that aligns with the educational standards of the curriculum they have experienced, rather than comparing their performance to a broader population or predicting their future academic success.

For example, if a curriculum includes specific reading comprehension strategies or math skills, a curriculum-referenced test would measure how well students can apply those specific skills in a test setting. This focus allows teachers to determine whether the instructional goals have been effectively met and if students can demonstrate understanding of the material that was intended for them to learn.

In contrast, evaluations based on overall student performance in a school typically take a wider range of factors into account, potentially extending beyond the curriculum directly taught. Assessments that predict future academic success consider various indicators beyond current knowledge and skills, while standardized achievements in multiple subjects often aim to assess a broader educational context rather than strictly what has been taught in individual classrooms or curriculums.