What is the main purpose of norm-referenced assessments?

The main purpose of norm-referenced assessments is to compare student performance against a benchmark group. These assessments are designed to rank students and determine how their performance relates to the performance of a defined group, often referred to as a "norm group." By doing so, educators and stakeholders can understand not just how an individual student performs, but also how that performance stacks up against their peers within the same age, grade, or educational context.

Norm-referenced assessments are typically used to identify relative performance levels, and they often yield results that indicate whether a student is performing above, below, or at the national average. This type of assessment helps in making decisions about curriculum placement, program effectiveness, and ensuring that students are meeting expected benchmarks in comparison to their contemporaries.