| Assessment developer should… | Test user should… | Explanation | What to do if an assessment does not meet this criterion? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify the intended population for the assessment and clearly articulate if there are any inclusion or exclusion criteria. | Select an assessment that is intended for the key demographics (e.g. age/grade) of the local student population to be assessed. | Use assessments only with individuals who are demographically representative of the intended population. For example,
| If the intended population for the assessment does not align with the key demographics of the local student population to be assessed, look for another assessment. |
| Provide a rationale and evidence that what and how SEL competencies are measured is developmentally appropriate for the grades/ages of students in the intended population. | Review the rationale and evidence to determine if the assessment is developmentally appropriate for the grade/ages of students in the local population. | Developmental appropriateness is particularly important if an assessment will be used to track SEL competency development over ages or grades. Student development of SEL competencies can differ not only because:
An assessment developer should address these developmental considerations when developing and validating the assessment. | If there is an insufficient rationale or evidence that an assessment is developmentally appropriate for the grades/ages of students in the local population, use for the grades/ages for which it would be appropriate or find another assessment. |
| Indicate the reading level and linguistic competency needed by respondents. | Determine if respondents will have appropriate levels of reading and linguistic competence. | The reading level and linguistic complexity of an assessment is not only important to consider in terms of students but for other respondents as well.
| If an assessment developer does not specify reading or linguistic competency needed by respondents,
|
Specify the availability of language and ability accommodations are available. For available accommodations, provide guidance on when to use the accommodation and how to administer and score it. | Determine if accommodations for students or respondents in the local population are available. | If the setting has a linguistically diverse student population or a sizable number of students with identified disabilities, the availability of accommodations would allow these students to participate. Seeking out the availability of multi-language versions or forms for students with disabilities would be another option. | If needed accommodations are not available, ask assessment developer for more information. If adequate accommodations do not exist,
|
| Use a culturally representative panel to review SEL competencies measured by the assessment to determine if how those SEL competencies are measured are relevant for different cultures. | Review the demographics and findings of the panel to insure individuals from cultural groups represented in the local setting and student population are included and the assessment will fairly assess SEL competencies for those cultural groups. | How an SEL assessment defines and measures competencies may not be relevant to respondents from different cultural groups because the value of those SEL competencies or how they are represented may vary. Cultural differences are an important consideration when developing SEL programs and assessments along with systematic review and/or empirical studies to ensure they are not culturally biased. For example,
| If the SEL competencies addressed by the assessment have not been reviewed and approved by a culturally representative panel,
|
Have a diverse panel familiar with the needs of different students review the content and format of the assessment for bias, sensitivity, and accessibility. Document whether that panel found with a high level of agreement that assessment is unbiased, sensitive, and accessible. If the panel identifies items or format as biased, insensitive, or inaccessible, describe how those issues were addressed | Review the demographics of the panel and the findings of the panel to determine if the review is applicable to local setting and student population and if any bias issues were raised that might be a concern for the local student population. | Individuals of different backgrounds or individuals who are aware of capability differences among students should be involved in the development and review of SEL assessments. This includes:
| If the developer has not used a panel that is representative of the local student population to review for bias, sensitivity, and accessibility, ask a local group that is familiar with the needs of different students in the local population to review the assessment and its items.
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Provide empirical evidence that responses to items/tasks and reported scores are not significantly different for students with similar levels of SEL competency from different demographic groups (e.g. race/ethnicity, language, and gender). If statistical differences exist, indicate actions taken to understand those potential differences better. | Review the evidence provided to determine if the assessment addresses key student groups in the local population and if it raises fairness concerns for individuals from those groups. Demographics to consider include gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and language background. | Assessments can consist of items/tasks that do not function the same way for different group of students or differences between relevant subgroups on reported scores. At the item, measurement invariance studies (e.g. differential item functioning or multigroup confirmatory factor analyses) gather evidence that assessment items performs the same way for different groups of students.
At the score level, differential prediction is a common method used to determine through regression analysis whether there are differences between relevant subgroups on reported scores. | If there is insufficient evidence that students with similar levels of SEL competency from demographic groups respond at the item/task or score level similarly,
If there is evidence of lack of equivalence at the item or score level that was not addressed by the assessment developer, do not interpret and use assessment results for those subgroups especially if they are a key group in the student population. |