New Hampshire Foundations of Reading Practice Test

Norm-referenced tests are designed to compare an individual's performance to that of a larger, representative sample group of similar students. This type of assessment helps educators understand how a student's scores stand relative to peers, which can offer insights into the student's performance in the context of a wider educational environment. By framing a student's results alongside those of a norm group, educators can identify areas of strength and weakness relative to the average or typical performance, allowing for targeted instructional decisions.

The focus of norm-referenced tests is not on mastery of specific learning objectives, as those assessments aim to measure individual progress against predetermined goals. Instead, norm-referenced tests look at performance in relation to a group, making them less about meeting specific criteria and more about understanding where a student falls on a continuum of abilities. Likewise, while some tests provide feedback on individual performance, norm-referenced assessments primarily serve to create a metric of comparison rather than detailed analysis of skills or knowledge.