Universal Design and Multimethod Approaches to Item Review

Test items undergo multiple iterations of review before states and vendors deem them acceptable to be placed in a live statewide assessment. This article reviews three approaches that can add validity evidence to states' item review processes. The first process is a structured sensitivity review process that focuses on universal design considerations for items. The second method is a series of statistical analyses intended to increase the limited amount of information that can be derived from analyses on low‐incidence populations (such as students who are blind, deaf, or have cognitive disabilities). Finally, think aloud methods are described as a method for understanding why particular items might be problematic for students.