Updating the Duplex Design for Test-Based Accountability in the Twenty-First Century

The duplex design by Bock and Mislevy for school-based testing is revisited and evaluated as a potential platform in test-based accountability assessments today. 1 1The term theory of accountability refers to a specific set of ideas for proposing that accountability leads to systemic improvements. Test-based accountability refers to the use of tests results to reach accountability decisions at the student or aggregate levels. The term assessment design refers to a set of principles, such as evidence-centered design (Mislevy, Steinberg &, Almond, 2003 Mislevy, R. J., Steinberg, L. S. and Almond, R. G. 2003. On the structure of educational assessments. Measurement: Interdisciplinary Research and Perspectives, 1(1): 3–62. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar]), or the specific design of an assessment or test. The duplex design discussed in this paper is an example of such a specific design. We conclude that the model could be useful in meeting the many competing demands of today's test-based accountability assessments, although many research questions will need to be answered in future studies.