Project Based Freelance Contributor - Assessment Item Specialist, Social Studies (Remote, US)

Newsela

3d•Remote

About The Position

As an Assessment Item Specialist for Social Studies, you will play a key role in expanding the Newsela Item Bank, ensuring students have access to high-quality, inquiry-based assessments. You will leverage your Social Studies expertise to create rigorous, standards-aligned content and evaluate primary and secondary sources that help educators deliver data-informed instruction. This role offers a collaborative, remote environment where your commitment to historical thinking and evidence-based analysis directly supports academic success in classrooms nationwide. You will enjoy the flexibility of a freelance contract while contributing to a platform that is a staple in K-12 digital learning.

Requirements

At least one year of direct experience writing and reviewing Social Studies assessment items on a commercial scale, such as for a reputable EdTech company, testing vendor, or educational publisher.
Comprehensive understanding of educational assessment design, including formative, common, and summative assessments.
Deep familiarity with state-specific social studies standards and the C3 Framework, along with a proven ability to apply strict standards alignment principles.
Ability to accurately classify and create items that meet specific cognitive rigor requirements, particularly in evaluating historical evidence and civic reasoning.
Prior experience authoring technology-enhanced items (TEIs) and comfortably navigating digital assessment platforms.
Thorough grasp of established style guides and best practices, including critical quality control elements such as fairness, bias, and accessibility.
Proven track record of delivering high-quality work under tight deadlines with meticulous attention to detail.
Legally authorized to work in the US.

Responsibilities

Create original, standards-aligned Social Studies assessment items, tasks, and stimuli that are precisely mapped to state-specific standards and the C3 Framework.
Select and curate high-quality primary and secondary sources, including maps, charts, and historical documents, that meet specific grade-level complexity and inquiry requirements.
Transfer and format existing Social Studies assessments and items from district and state sources directly into the Formative platform.
Produce and configure technology-enhanced items (TEIs) within the platform, ensuring accurate metadata tagging and flawless technical functionality.
Conduct systematic quality assurance reviews of Social Studies content to ensure all items are unbiased, culturally responsive, and meet strict editorial standards.
Validate content alignment and cognitive rigor by accurately evaluating the Depth of Knowledge (DOK) for every assessment item.
Provide expert platform feedback and recommendations regarding content tools and item bank features to continuously improve development workflows.