NAEP Technical DocumentationResults of NAEP Differential Item Functioning (DIF) Analysis for the Mathematics Main Assessment in 2007

For dichotomously scored items, NAEP categorizes each item into one of three categories: "A" (items exhibiting no DIF), "B" (items exhibiting a weak 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 "C" and "CC" items, subject area specialists decided that no items were biased, so none were deleted from the scales for this reason.

Number of dichotomously scored items, mathematics combined national and state main assessment, by differential item functioning (DIF) category and grade: 2007
Grade	DIF category	Female-Male	Black-White	Hispanic-White
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2007 Mathematics Assessment.
4	C-	0	2	4
	B-	4	6	2
	A	125	120	121
	B+	1	2	3
	C+	0	0	0
8	C-	0	0	0
	B-	6	4	4
	A	135	130	133
	B+	0	7	4
	C+	0	0	0

Number of polytomously scored items, mathematics combined national and state main assessment, by differential item functioning (DIF) category and grade: 2007
Grade	DIF category	Female-Male	Black-White	Hispanic-White
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2007 Mathematics Assessment.
4	CC-	0	0	0
	BB-	0	0	0
	AA	31	34	34
	BB+	3	0	0
	CC+	0	0	0
8	CC-	0	0	0
	BB-	0	1	1
	AA	24	25	25
	BB+	2	0	0
	CC+	0	0	0

Items identified as 'C' or 'CC' items in at least one comparison, mathematics combined national and state main assessment, by block and grade: 2007
Grade	Block	Item	Scale	Category	Comparison	Group favored
NOTE: No items were identified as 'C' or 'CC' for grade 8 in this year. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2007 Mathematics Assessment.
4	MD	M147801	Data analysis,statistics, and probability	C	Black-White	White
	MF	M135601	Measurement	C	Black-White	White
	MD	M147801	Data analysis,statistics, and probability	C	Hispanic-White	White
	MF	M135601	Measurement	C	Hispanic-White	White
	MJ	M137701	Measurement	C	Hispanic-White	White
	ML	M148201	Measurement	C	Hispanic-White	White

Last updated 08 June 2010 (JL)

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