Test Development Specialist, Alternate Assessments

DRC is one of the largest educational assessment and curriculum/instruction companies in the industry.

Test Development Specialist, Alternate Assessments

Summary:

Test Development Specialists for a given content area develop and deliver on time assigned content-area test items and/or assessment ancillaries. Test Development Specialists also support all steps in the development of statewide testing programs, including the development of item specifications, test blueprints, etc. They also support the development of statewide testing programs by facilitating committee reviews, including bias reviews, item-data reviews, standard-settings, and alignment studies. Test Development Specialists will also actively support and develop standards-aligned instructional materials for students with significant cognitive disabilities. They work directly with Senior Test Development Specialists and Directors of Test Development to help plan and organize the flow of work for assigned assessment items or sections of projects. As needed, they assign tasks to support staff, including freelance contractors, temporaries, item writers, item-development coordinators, and/or other project team members. They may also work directly with their content-area counterparts in state departments of education, including building strong supportive relationships with state-department counterparts.

Essential Position Responsibilities:

• Works directly with Senior Test Development Specialists, Project Leads, and Directors to deliver on time all assigned items, tests, instructional supports, and/or other assigned steps in the item, test, and instructional materials development process, including, but not limited to, the following:




• Developing domain-specific specifications and domain-specific test blueprints
• Developing domain-specific item specifications and art specifications, as required
• Developing domain-specific style guides
• Developing domain-specific item writer training manuals, including bias and universal design manuals
• Facilitating item writer workshops for a given domain or assigned project
• Writing, reviewing, revising, and editing items and/or instructional materials for a given domain and/or assigned project
• Developing scoring guidelines and rubrics for constructed-response and performance assessments and supporting range-finding activities for a given domain or assigned project
• Developing forms (including all steps in the forms construction process for pilot, field test, and operational) for a given domain and/or assigned test
• Supporting the development of test ancillaries for a given domain (test directions, practice tests, etc.)




• Provide support for the final review process for assigned items and/or other items and tests, including ancillaries
• Provide support for the final sign-off of printers' proofs and/or other steps requiring test development sign-off, including directory of test specifications as needed for a given domain or assigned project
• As needed, provide support for the facilitation of state committee reviews, including content item and bias reviews, alignment studies, and standard-settings
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• BS/BA in special education or related field, MS in special education or related field preferred
• Minimum of 3-5 years of classroom teaching experience with developmental disabilities is required.
• Alternate assessment development experience preferred
• State Department of Education or District-level special education experience is desirable.
• In-depth knowledge of special education, including curriculum and instruction
• General knowledge of test publishing industry standards
• Knowledge of teaching "best practices" in the field of expertise
• Experience working in teams
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills
• Ability to solve problems and find solutions to complex issues when writing, reviewing, and/or revising items and/or constructing test forms
• Ability to adjust to changing circumstances and direction as required
• Knowledge of national and state-specific curriculum standards
• Experience in writing, editing, and proof-reading
• Attention to detail
• Basic computer skills

Essential Job Requirements:

• Report to work promptly when scheduled
• Be able to work under supervision and accept feedback
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite
• Relate effectively and work respectfully with diverse work groups
• Ability to consistently perform well during times of increased work load
• Set and meet deadlines
• Manage multiple job functions simultaneously
• Other duties as needed