Rangefinding

A key step in the development of scorer training materials is rangefinding, where educators and administrators from states meet to interpret the scoring rubrics and determine consensus scores for student responses. Rangefinding meetings are held prior to scoring field-test items.

Rangefinding attendees work in committees to determine consensus scores on actual field test responses. A room lead for each committee signs off on the consensus scores, and the scoring vendor uses the scored responses and committee comments to create field test training sets. It's important to note that the scoring vendor does not determine score points at rangefinding; the scoring vendor just records notes and scores and applies that feedback from participants when scoring the assessment.

When developing scorer training materials, the scoring vendor's Scoring Directors carefully review detailed notes and records from rangefinding meetings. Training sets are developed using the responses scored by the committees and additional suitable student response samples (as needed). All scorer training sets are reviewed and approved prior to scorer training.