The problem of this study was to examine the equivalency of two different types of criterion-referenced item-selection techniques on simulated data as item pools varied in degrees of item difficulty. A pretest-posttest design was employed in which pass-fail scores were randomly generated for item pools of twenty-five items. From the item pools, the two techniques determined which items were to be used to make up twelve-item criterion-referenced tests. The twenty-five items also were rank ordered according to the discrimination power of the two techniques.

This study examines the relationship between student attendance and student test scores on a criterion-referenced test, using test scores of all 5th graders in Virginia who participated in the 2005-2006 Standards of Learning tests in reading and mathematics. Data collection for this study was performed with the cooperation of the Virginia Department of Education using a state database of student testing information. Pearson correlation coefficients were determined for the overall student population and for the subgroups of economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities, limited English proficient, white, black, and Hispanic. The results of this study indicate that there is a significant positive correlation (p<.01) between student attendance, as measured by the number of days present, and student performance on the Virginia SOL test, a criterion-referenced test. Positive correlations were found between student attendance and student test scores for all subgroups. The correlation between student attendance and student performance on the SOL mathematics test was higher than the correlation for the same variables on the English test. The correlation for the overall student population on the English SOL test was higher than the correlation for any subgroup on the English SOL test. Only the LEP and Hispanic subgroups had higher correlations on the mathematics test than the overall student population. This study will contribute to a growing body of research resulting from the enactment of the No Child Left Behind legislation and the national attention that this legislation has focused on student attendance and student performance on standardized tests.