Test Development

College Board develops digital SAT Suite test content based on research and collaboration with higher education professionals.

Creating Test Content

College Board develops and maintains specifications for the digital SAT Suite tests based on the best available evidence regarding college and career readiness requirements, which includes input from postsecondary professionals. Then, test developers write the questions.

Reviewing Test Content

Committees of secondary school and college instructors review test materials to ensure questions on the digital SAT Suite tests:

  • Measure important knowledge and skills.
  • Are fair and accessible to all students.
  • Are written in a way that models what students are learning in the best secondary classrooms.

Key Development Steps

After digital SAT Suite questions are written to specification, they go through numerous development steps, including:

  • Review of questions for content soundness and accuracy
  • Review of questions for fairness
  • Review of questions for editorial standards
  • Pretesting with students
  • Analysis of pretest results
  • Assembly and review of draft versions of test forms
  • Statistical analysis after test administration

Resources