3. FAIRNESS IN TESTING
BACKGROUND
This chapter addresses the importance of fairness as a fundamental issue in protecting test takers and test users in all aspects of testing. The term fairness has no single technical meaning and is used in many different ways in public discourse. It is possible that individuals endorse fairness in testing as a desirable social goal, yet reach quite different conclusions about the fairness of a given testing program. A full consideration of the topic would explore the multiple functions of testing in relation to its many goals, including the broad goal of achieving equality of opportunity in our society. It would consider the technical properties of tests, the ways in which test results are reported and used, the factors that affect the validity of score interpretations, and the consequences of test use. A comprehensive analysis of fairness in testing also would examine the regulations, statutes, and case law that govern test use and the remedies for harmful testing practices. The Standards cannot hope to deal adequately with all of these broad issues, some of which have occasioned sharp disagreement among testing specialists and others interested in testing. Our focus must be limited here to delineating the aspects of tests, testing, and test use that relate to fairness as described in this chapter, which are interpret the results of tests, and upon which there is general professional and technical agreement.