Arkansas Foundations of Reading Test (FORT)

What does a raw score on a standardized test indicate?

1. The number of questions answered correctly on a test.

2. The comparison of a student's performance to standardized samples of peers.

3. A student's proficiency in certain areas.

4. The student's grade-level equivalent score.

The correct answer is: The number of questions answered correctly on a test.

A raw score on a standardized test indicates the total number of questions answered correctly. It reflects the student's direct achievement on the test without accounting for any scaling, normalization, or comparison to other test-takers. Raw scores provide educators and assessors with a straightforward measure of what a student has grasped in terms of content knowledge or skills assessed by the test. In contrast, the other options represent different aspects of test results. Comparisons of a student's performance to standardized samples relate to scaled scores or percentiles, which interpret how one student performs in relation to a broader group. A student's proficiency in certain areas would be indicated by specific achievement levels or descriptive categories that go beyond just the raw score. Lastly, a grade-level equivalent score provides a relative measure that translates raw scores into an estimated grade level, which may not accurately reflect a student's actual academic level or capabilities.