Ace the Connecticut FORT 2026 – Read, Understand, Conquer!

Norm-referenced assessments are designed to compare an individual's performance to the performance of a normative group, which typically includes a representative sample of students from the same grade or age range. When a child's performance is evaluated against this group, it provides insight into how they rank relative to their peers. This type of assessment offers valuable information about where a student stands in relation to a broader population, helping educators identify areas of strength and areas that may need improvement.

In contrast, assessments that focus on a set standard would measure performance against predetermined benchmarks, while assessments evaluating understanding would be looking at a student's ability to comprehend and engage with specific materials. Parent perceptions are more subjective and do not provide quantitative comparisons with peers, which is the core function of a norm-referenced assessment. Therefore, understanding that these assessments reveal comparative performance highlights their purpose in educational settings.