What are criterion-referenced tests designed to measure?

Criterion-referenced tests are designed to measure student performance against specific, predefined standards or criteria. This means that each student's score reflects their individual level of understanding or skill in relation to the established benchmarks, rather than comparing their performance to that of their peers.

This approach allows educators to determine whether a student has achieved a certain level of proficiency or mastery in a subject area, making it useful for assessing mastery of the material and informing instruction. In contrast, another option focuses on overall class performance, which does not provide insight into individual student achievement in relation to specific learning goals. Additionally, while comparing performance with statewide results serves a different evaluative purpose, it does not specifically address the objective of measuring against established criteria. Similarly, assessing the speed at which students complete tests is unrelated to measuring their understanding or competence in the subject matter. Therefore, the focus of criterion-referenced tests is on individualized performance based on uniform criteria.