Investigating Elements of Culturally Responsive Assessments in the Context of the National Assessment of Educational Progress: An Initial Exploration

Abstract Standardized assessments are a common part of U.S. education. Due to dramatic increases in population diversity over the past several decades, a number of scholars have recommended that these assessments become more attuned to demographic differences (e.g., Bennett; Buzick, Casabianca, and Gholson; Hughes), evaluating students' knowledge, skills, and understanding by taking into account their unique cultural identities, interests, and lived experiences (e.g., Hood; Landl). In this exploratory study, several National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Grade 8 mathematics items were adapted to include vocabulary, scenarios, and contexts expected to be more familiar to Hispanic students living in the United States, with a focus on Puerto Rican, Dominican, and Mexican culture. We evaluated the impact of these minimal changes on student performance, and on student behavior during testing, in a sample of almost a thousand eighth‐grade students across several U.S. states. The adapted test items led to a 25% reduction in the average (equated) score difference between White and Hispanic students, but little if any difference in examinee behavior indicative of motivation and engagement. We also make recommendations for future research and methodology refinements.