Test Development Specialist, Science

About the position

Test Development Specialists for a given content area develop and deliver on time assigned content-area test item 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. 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 relationship with state-department counterparts.

Responsibilities

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

Requirements

• BS/BA in science, science education or related field, MS in education or related field preferred
• Minimum of three years of teaching experience K-12 science or related experience
• In-depth knowledge of the science content area, 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 and editing test items
• Experience in constructing test forms
• Basic computer skills
• Must be able to travel when needed

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Wellness insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Flexible spending accounts
• Health savings accounts
• Short and long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Generous paid time off policy
• Community service leave