Ensuring Fairness and Mitigating Bias in Psychological and Educational Testing

Abstract

There are professionally agreed-upon standards of practice that all psychological and educational test developers or users are expected to consider (American Educational Research Association [AERA] et al., 2014; American Psychological Association [APA], 2002, 2015; National Association of School Psychologists, 2020). These qualities include three foundational properties; validity, reliability, and fairness as outlined in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (hereafter Standards; AERA et al., 2014). Fairness was reconceptualized as a foundational principle on par with reliability and validity in the 2014 Standards even though the testing field has long considered issues of test bias (APA, 2017). Although conceptions about fairness are evolving rapidly, consensus about the nature and crucial features of test fairness are still emerging. Notable misinterpretations and a continued lack of awareness (or actions) about test fairness exist among test developers and users. In this presentation, we will define fairness, distinguish fairness from lack of bias, discuss important core attributes of test fairness, and then discuss how professional standards for test fairness can be applied to educational assessments and psychological testing.

Presenters

Janet Carlson | Buros Center for Testing, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Jessica Jonson | Buros Center for Testing, University of Nebraska-Lincoln