Executive - Assessment Specialist

Position Summary (the reasons the position exists; a summary of what the is position is responsible for):

The Assessment Specialist II plans, develops, and evaluates tests and testing programs and related products that are closely aligned to the current subject-area standards and student-learning objectives and leads discussions with clients and stakeholders on the assessment of subject-related constructs.

This role applies strong content knowledge to add significant value to item writing, item review, test assembly, and discussions at committee meetings, and is knowledgeable about current standards and trends.

This Assessment Specialist II functions at a high level of knowledge and skill in all phases of test development, including item writing, review, and evaluation, test assembly, and scoring.

The Assessment Specialist II works independently and as part of a team and may also work with outside experts in field of specialty. Additionally, the incumbent regularly provides guidance and training to less experienced assessment specialists.

Responsibilities (indicate 5-10 key responsibilities/tasks that effectively describe the position; List from most important to least important):

• Write and review items, gather and resolve feedback from multiple sources on items and evaluate item acceptability after testing
• Participate in and manage constructed-response scoring activities, including work with faculty consultants or state department staff
• Approve items for use on tests, evaluating both content and psychometric properties
• Devise strategies for improving outside item writer results; develop item writer training materials; plan and lead item writer training meetings; monitor work with outside item writers
• Design and develop new assessments and innovative products and services; develop new blueprints and item types, working with project team and client
• Write rules for test creation system, assemble pretests, tests and/or Computer-Adaptive Testing (CAT) pools; review tests and participate in CAT simulation activities; assist in preparation of Special Test Additions
• Respond to Supervisor Irregularity Reports (SIRs) and candidate inquiries, review responses to candidate inquiries to ensure accuracy and appropriate responses; investigate possible copyright violations; review and make recommendations for security cases
• Work with client committees -- organizing meetings, recruiting and training committee members, recommending committee members, organizing review materials, developing training materials and agendas, explaining and summarizing analysis results and advising on measurement issues
• Work directly with client content representatives to obtain signoff on items and tests; may attend client launch meetings, planning meetings and update meetings
• Plan and develop program publications and interpretive test preparation materials
• Participate in teacher training activities
• Plan and conduct reliability, validity or comparability studies
• Train others in application of item statistics and assembly of tests
• Work with Statistics staff during the test assembly process to obtain signoff on statistical parameters of forms
• Plan, manage and direct test development activities as a lead for one or more program teams, possibly as a member or leader of a test creation team
• Manage the item evaluation process for one or more programs, use feedback from committee meetings and department staff to improve item quality for a program
• Make recommendations on scoring problem items
• Coach staff as appropriate
• Serve on policy and planning committees with increasing responsibility
• Serve as an organisation’s spokesperson on matters of test development in field of specialty
• Direct projects, delegate work, and monitor progress
• Create, implement, and monitor item development plans
• Undertake and oversee small special development projects
• Monitor budget requirements for one or more projects
• Adhere to ethical standards and comply with the laws and regulations applicable to your job function

Process Outputs and Deliverables (From the key responsibilities above, describe the most important process outputs of the role)

• Test items, forms and plans that are aligned to standards and client expectations
• Fair, reliable and valid assessments
• Secure test materials
• Process improvements
• Customer Satisfaction
• Knowledge transfer/learning

Required Skills:

Test Development: 

Has command of the assessment development process from item acquisition to hand-offs for administration and scoring. Understands the principles, conventions, terminology, and tools for stages within the test development process relevant to assigned work. Proposes efficiencies and innovations to improve departmental operations. Can learn and use new technologies facilely to develop test items and forms and to score student responses.

Content Knowledge: 

Has strong content knowledge that can be applied to add significant value to item writing, item review, test assembly, and discussions at committee meetings, and is knowledgeable about current standards and trends.

Oral and Written Communication:

Has strong verbal and written communication skills, and can apply rules of grammar, etc., to the development of items in content area.

Project Management: 

Demonstrates a high level of productivity, with attention to quality. Exhibits accountability for assigned work. Possesses the skills to plan, organize, and manage tasks and resources to accomplish a well defined objective, within constraints of time, resources, and cost.

Problem Solving:

Has the ability to problem-solve and possesses flexibility to adjust project plans and schedules and adapt existing processes and procedures to meet deliverables on time and with the expected quality without negatively impacting colleagues, processes, or other deliverables.

Collaboration: 

Has a track record of adding value to official or unofficial teams by actively participating in them and seeking to understand the various interests of team members. Fosters respectful relationships with internal and external colleagues. Demonstrates professionalism. Is customer-focused and sensitive to differing values, abilities and needs of staff.

Learning Orientation:

Has the ability to succeed at working on new assessments, on developing innovative task types, on doing the work in new ways, on dealing successfully with ambiguity. Demonstrates the ability to quickly adapt previous work experiences and gain knowledge from others and successfully provide recommendations or a course of action in new and ambiguous situations. Can adapt to changes to policies and processes and is quick to apply new learnings in an expected or reasonable time frame.

Education, Certifications, or Special Licenses:

A Master’s degree in field of specialty or the equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and experience can be acquired is required.

Relevant Years of Experience Required:

A minimum of 5 to 6 years of increasingly responsible professional experience (including educational measurement, applied statistics or teaching), 2 of which must be in test development and educational measurement or applied statistics, are required.

Strong writing skills, well-developed organizational skills, and a willingness/adeptness with regards to learning new technology are required.

Comprehensive knowledge of field of specialty in order to develop tests in subject area and to serve as resource person for peers, committees, and clients is also required. Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with clients and external committees is required.

English Language Learning

• Comprehensive knowledge of English as a Second Language, Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, or English in order to develop items for English Language Learner assessments and related products that are closely aligned to the current subject-area standards, such as Next Generation California English Language Development Standards and/or the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
• Ability to develop items for English Language Learners that are appropriate for young and adult learners that incorporate
  • productive language skills
  • integrated language skills
  • scenario-based tasks
• Ability to develop test items aligned with appropriate standards for a variety of purposes, including tests used for K-12 accountability, college admission/placement, and job-related recruitment/placement.