What does the term 'norm-referenced assessment' imply?

The term 'norm-referenced assessment' implies a comparison of a student's performance to a representative sample of peers. This type of assessment is designed to determine how an individual student performs relative to a larger group, often referred to as a normative group. The purpose is to understand where a student stands in relation to the average performance of their age or grade-level peers, which can provide insights into their strengths and weaknesses.

Norm-referenced assessments use statistical measures to report results, often providing percentile ranks, standard scores, or other comparative metrics that indicate how a student's performance aligns with that of others. This method allows educators to identify students who may need additional support or enrichment based on their relative standing.

Other definitions like evaluating a student based on their past results represent a different assessment approach, focusing on individual progress rather than comparison to peers. The notion that norm-referenced assessments are equivalent to criterion-referenced assessments is inaccurate since the latter focuses on whether students meet specific learning criteria or standards, independent of peer performance. Additionally, while standardized tests are a common form of norm-referenced assessment, the use of norm-referenced evaluations is not confined exclusively to such tests; they can be used in various educational settings and methods.