Arkansas Foundations of Reading Test (FORT)

Which types of scores are used to compare a student's performance to their peers on standardized tests?

1. Cutoff scores.

2. Grade-level equivalent scores.

3. Raw scores.

4. Standard scores.

The correct answer is: Standard scores.

Standard scores are specifically designed to compare a student's performance to that of their peers on standardized tests. These scores indicate how a student's performance relates to the average performance of a group, typically represented through a mean (average) score and standard deviation. By converting raw test scores into standard scores, educators can assess where a student stands relative to a normative sample, which allows for informed decisions regarding their academic progress. In contrast, cutoff scores generally determine the minimum performance required to achieve a specific label or classification, so they do not provide a comparative framework for assessing overall performance among peers. Grade-level equivalent scores represent a student's performance as a grade level but lack the precision needed for peer comparison. Raw scores simply reflect the number of correct answers and do not consider the broader population context. Therefore, standard scores are the most effective measure for understanding and analyzing a student's standing compared to their peers.