THE COST OF SCIENCE PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTS IN LARGE-SCALE TESTING PROGRAMS

Estimates of the costs of including hands-on measures of science skill s in large-scale assessment programs are drawn from a field trial invo lving more than 2,000 fifth- and sixth-grade students. These estimates include the resources needed to develop, administer and score the tas ks. They suggest that performance measures are far more expensive than typical multiple-choice tests for an equal amount of testing time, an d the cost increases even further for an equally reliable score on an individual student. Because of the complexities of equipment and mater ials, hands-on measures in science are about three times more expensiv e than open-ended writing assessments. Alternative approaches to devel opment and administration (such as using less expensive equipment and having the tasks administered by classroom teachers rather than traine d Exercise Administrators) could reduce costs by up to 50%, but these practices may reduce the quality of the data obtained. However includi ng performance assessments in a state's testing program may have many positive effects, including fostering standards-based educational refo rm and encouraging more effective reaching methods. The challenge is t o determine whether these potential benefits actually exist and if the y do, how they can be realized within the budget constraints of most t esting programs.