Test Development

PEMSolutions offers a full range of item and test development services, provided by our experienced team of content specialists, representing many years of assessment and classroom teaching experience.

• Content development (items, stimuli, art, and reading passages)
• Content specification development
• Item writer, content review, and bias/sensitivity training
• Item and test quality assessment
• Curriculum standards conformance review
• Bias and sensitivity review
• Content and copy editing
• Reading passage research
• Copyrights and permissions research
• Test construction
• Item bank development and maintenance

Item Banking

The PEMSolutions test development process is supported by a coordinated suite of item banking tools designed to ease the creation, management, and placement of test content. The item bank suite is a comprehensive Web-based content management system designed for high-stakes assessments, combining exceptional usability with advanced customization to increase productivity and reduce development time. It supports the delivery of content for paper and online assessments, as well as student preparation guides.

• Item authoring - efficiently create items and passages
• Item tracking - monitor, review, and update the inventory of test content
• Test building - create high-stakes assessments using maps and performance as targets

Custom and unique numbering systems, references to state curriculum frameworks, links to supporting passages or other stimuli, item statistics by administration, and even item characteristic curves can all be incorporated into your item banking solution. Whether your needs include a stand-alone item management system at your site or Internet access to one of our item bank systems, PEMSolutions can satisfy your item management needs.

Psychometrics

Our content specialists work in close collaboration with experienced psychometricians. This relationship constitutes a significant advantage by offering proven leadership that understands the relationship between content and measurement as it relates to successful test development.

• Development of test blueprints
  
• Assessment design specifications
  
• Discussions regarding item development specifications
  
• Item selection
  
• Construction of test forms

PEMSolutions also provides access to consulting services for state and commercial customers. These services range from one-day reviews to ongoing assistance with performance standard setting, psychometrics, design analyses, and best practices, offering customers a full spectrum of quality measurement advice and consulting.