Which type of tests assesses a student’s performance relative to the performance of their peer group?

Norm-referenced tests are designed to measure a student's performance in comparison to a group of peers, typically representing a similar age or grade level. These tests provide a way to determine how well a student has performed relative to others, thus allowing educators to identify a student's standing within a larger cohort. The results are often presented as percentile ranks, standard scores, or other metrics that indicate where a student falls on the continuum of performance compared to their peers.

In the context of educational assessment, norm-referenced tests are often used to gauge overall academic achievement and can help inform decisions about instruction, placement, and interventions. They help educators understand how a student is performing not just in isolation, but in relation to the broader classroom or school community.

Other assessment types, such as criterion-referenced tests, focus instead on whether a student meets specific learning objectives or standards without comparison to peers. Anecdotal records provide qualitative insights into a student's performance through observations, and portfolio assessments compile various pieces of a student's work over time but do not necessarily involve performance comparisons to others.