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Number of Items by Severity of Differential Item Functioning (DIF), Science National Assessment: 2019
For dichotomously scored items, NAEP categorizes each item into one of three categories: "A" (items exhibiting no DIF), "B" (items exhibiting a weak indication of DIF), or "C" (items exhibiting a strong indication of DIF). A plus sign (+) indicates that items are differentially easier for the focal group (female, Black, or Hispanic students) than for the reference group (male or White students) after making an adjustment for the overall level of proficiency in the two groups. A minus sign (-) indicates that items are differentially more difficult for the focal group than for the reference group. For polytomously scored items, NAEP categorizes items into "AA," "BB," or "CC" categories and the plus or minus sign has the same interpretation as for dichotomously scored items. After reviewing "C" and "CC" items, subject area specialists decided that no items were biased, so none were deleted from the scale for this reason.
Number of dichotomously scored items, science DBA national assessment, by differential item functioning (DIF) group, grade, and DIF category: 2019
DIF category
Female/Male
Black/White
Hispanic/White
DBA = Digitally based assessment. This includes all items in the assessment (the prescaling decisions).
U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2019 Science Assessment.
Grade 4
C-
3
1
0
B-
5
4
3
A
115
116
120
B+
1
3
1
C+
0
0
0
Grade 8
C-
2
1
0
B-
6
4
0
A
134
131
139
B+
1
7
4
C+
0
0
0
Grade 12
C-
7
0
0
B-
11
3
4
A
147
152
160
B+
1
12
3
C+
1
0
0
Number of dichotomously scored items, science PBA national assessment, by differential item functioning (DIF) group, grade, and DIF category: 2019
DIF category
Female/Male
Black/White
Hispanic/White
PBA = Paper-based assessment. This includes all items in the assessment (the prescaling decisions).
U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2019 Science Assessment.
Grade 4
C-
0
1
0
B-
5
7
4
A
98
93
98
B+
2
4
3
C+
0
0
0
Grade 8
C-
6
1
1
B-
5
6
1
A
104
102
106
B+
1
7
7
C+
0
0
1
Grade 12
C-
7
0
0
B-
7
3
3
A
117
120
125
B+
1
9
4
C+
0
0
0
Number of polytomously scored items, science DBA national assessment, by differential item functioning (DIF) group, grade, and DIF category: 2019
DIF category
Female/Male
Black/White
Hispanic/White
DBA = Digitally based assessment. This includes all items in the assessment (the prescaling decisions).
U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2019 Science Assessment.
Grade 4
CC-
0
0
0
BB-
0
0
0
AA
57
61
60
BB+
4
1
2
CC+
1
0
0
Grade 8
CC-
0
1
0
BB-
1
1
0
AA
63
66
69
BB+
4
1
0
CC+
1
0
0
Grade 12
CC-
1
2
0
BB-
4
2
0
AA
74
78
83
BB+
6
2
1
CC+
0
1
1
Number of polytomously scored items, science PBA national assessment, by differential item functioning (DIF) group, grade, and DIF category: 2019
DIF category
Female/Male
Black/White
Hispanic/White
PBA = Paper-based assessment. This includes all items in the assessment (the prescaling decisions).
U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2019 Science Assessment.
Grade 4
CC-
0
1
0
BB-
1
2
2
AA
36
34
35
BB+
1
1
1
CC+
0
0
0
Grade 8
CC-
0
0
0
BB-
1
1
0
AA
44
48
50
BB+
5
1
0
CC+
0
0
0
Grade 12
CC-
1
0
0
BB-
0
2
0
AA
51
53
54
BB+
3
0
1
CC+
0
0
0
Items identified as "C" items in at least one comparison, science DBA national assessment, by grade, block, and subscale: 2019
Block
Item
Subscale
Comparison
Group favored
DBA = Digitally based assessment.
U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2019 Science Assessment.
Grade 4
S6
K107902
Physical science
Female/Male
Female
S9
K079001
Earth and space sciences
Female/Male
Male
S9
K109402
Physical science
Female/Male
Male
S11
K084301
Life science
Black/White
White
S11
K165301
Earth and space sciences
Female/Male
Male
Grade 8
S5
K121403
Physical science
Female/Male
Male
S9
K120201
Life science
Black/White
White
S9
K208605
Physical science
Black/White
White
S10
K168401
Earth and space sciences
Female/Male
Male
S12
K157001
Physical science
Female/Male
Female
Grade 12
S5
K2169MS
Earth and space sciences
Female/Male
Male
S7
K141901
Earth and space sciences
Female/Male
Male
S8
K137103
Physical science
Female/Male
Male
S9
K175501
Earth and space sciences
Female/Male
Male
S9
K176701
Life science
Female/Male
Female
S10
K179101
Physical science
Female/Male
Male
S11
K125803
Earth and space sciences
Female/Male
Male
S11
K139301
Earth and space sciences
Female/Male
Male
S13
K217401
Earth and space sciences
Female/Male
Male
H3
K1989MS
Physical science
Black/White, Hispanic/White
Black, Hispanic
H3
K199001
Physical science
Black/White
White
H3
K1990CL
Physical science
Black/White
White
Items identified as "C" items in at least one comparison, science PBA national assessment, by grade, block, and subscale: 2019
Block
Item
Subscale
Comparison
Group favored
PBA = Paper-based assessment.
U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2019 Science Assessment.
