Technical issues of reliability and validity, fairness, consistency, and bias can
quickly sink any attempt to measure values of a progress variable as described
above, or even to develop a reasonable framework that can be supported by
evidence. To ensure comparability of results across time and context, procedures
are needed to (a) examine the coherence of information gathered using different
formats, (b) map student performances onto the progress variables, (c) describe
the structural elements of the accountability system—tasks and raters—
in terms of the progress variables, and (d) establish uniform levels of system
functioning, in terms of quality control indices such as reliability. Although
this type of discussion can become very technical to consider, it is sufficient to
keep in mind that the traditional elements of assessment standardization, such as
validity/reliability studies and bias/equity studies, must be carried out to satisfy
quality control and ensure that evidence can be relied upon.