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NAEP Analysis and Scaling → Estimation of NAEP Score Scales → Treatment of Items in NAEP to Avoid Violations of Assumptions → Results of NAEP Differential Item Functioning (DIF) Analyses → Results of NAEP Differential Item Functioning Analyses for the Reading Assessment in 2003

NAEP Technical DocumentationResults of NAEP Differential Item Functioning Analyses for the Reading Assessment in 2003

For dichotomously scored items, NAEP categorizes each item into one of three categories: "A" (items exhibiting no DIF), "B" (items exhibiting a week indication of DIF), or "C" (items exhibiting a strong indication of DIF). A plus sign (+) indicates that items are differentially easier for the focal group (female, Black, or Hispanic students) than for the reference group (male or White students) after making an adjustment for the overall level of proficiency in the two groups; a minus sign (-) indicates that items are differentially more difficult for the focal group than for the reference group. For polytomously scored items, NAEP categorizes items into "AA", "BB" or "CC" categories and the plus or minus sign has the same interpretation as dichotomously scored items. After reviewing the only item renduring a "CC" from the Mantel-Haenszel procedure, subject area specialists determined that the item was not biased, so the item was not deleted from the scale.

Number of dichotomously scored items by severity of differential item functioning and grade, reading combined national and state main assessment: 2003

Grade	DIF category1	Female-male	Black-White	Hispanic-White
4	C-	0	0	0
	B-	1	1	0
	A	11	11	12
	B+	0	0	0
	C+	0	0	0
8	C-	0	0	0
	B-	1	1	0
	A	15	13	15
	B+	0	2	1
	C+	0	0	0
1 Positive values of the index indicate items that are differentially easier for the focal group (e.g., Black students) than for the reference groups (e.g., White students). “A” means no indication of DIF, “B+” means a weak indication of DIF in favor of the focal group, “B-” means a weak indication of DIF in favor of the reference group, and “C+” or “C-” means a strong indication of DIF. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2003 Reading Assessment.

Number of polytomously scored items by severity of differential item functioning and grade, reading combined national and state main assessment: 2003

Grade	DIF category1	Female-male	Black-White	Hispanic-White
4	CC-	0	0	0
	BB-	0	0	0
	AA	12	12	12
	BB+	0	0	0
	CC+	0	0	0
8	CC-	0	0	0
	BB-	0	0	0
	AA	17	13	16
	BB+	0	3	1
	CC+	0	1	0
1 Positive values of the index indicate items that are differentially easier for the focal group (e.g., Black students) than for the reference groups (e.g., White students). “AA” means no indication of DIF, “BB+” means a weak indication of DIF in favor of the focal group, “BB-” means a weak indication of DIF in favor of the reference group, and “CC+” or “CC-” means a strong indication of DIF. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2003 Reading Assessment.

Item identified as 'CC' item in at least one comparison, by block and item, reading combined national and state main assessment: 2003

Grade	Block	Item	Scale	Category	Comparison	Group Favored
8	R14	R026501	Information	CC	Black-White	Black
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2003 Reading Assessment.

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