Criterion Referenced Test

Criterion-referenced assessments are used to evaluate students’ performances against a set of pre-established criteria, such as concise descriptions of what students should know and achieve at a specific phase. Criterion-referenced assessments are widely used in the education industry. In primary and secondary education, criterion-referenced tests help evaluate whether students have understood a particular body of knowledge or achieved specific skills set expected of them by that age or education level.

Criterion-referenced tests are administered to understand whether a student has specific competencies or skills. These tests intend to answer a question such as, “Is this child able to structure sentences of five or more words or add/subtract two numbers?” The focal point of using these tests is to determine the presence or absence of criterion behavior.