about the project

WestEd staff conducted an external evaluation of Utah’s core curriculum and criterion-referenced tests for reading/language arts and mathematics.

The study was designed to answer two key questions: (1) Do the core curriculum standards encompass the appropriate content and skills to support high-quality instruction? (2) Are the core assessments aligned to the standards and technically sound?

To answer the first question, WestEd staff compiled and analyzed standards from other state and national efforts to serve as comparison points for evaluating Utah’s standards.

To answer the second question, the evaluation looked for evidence of content alignment of the criterion-referenced tests with the standards they are intended to measure as well as the technical quality and the feasibility of the tests.

This study represents an important step in Utah’s progress toward development of a comprehensive accountability system.