Bias and Sensitivity Review
Training Module
Overview of Bias and Sensitivity
Review Module
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Purpose of bias and sensitivity review
Structure and organization of review
committee
Bias and Sensitivity Guidelines document
Revisit bias and sensitivity in the context
of assessment
Bias and sensitivity issues to consider
Purpose of Bias and Sensitivity Review
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Quality depends on eliciting appropriate
evidence
Non-targeted knowledge and skills can
reduce quality
Universal Design minimizes factors that
reduce quality
Bias and sensitivity review provides a check
on quality of items and tasks
Expectation of Committee Members
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Conduct the review based on the criteria discussed
during training
Listen to, and collaborate with, other committee members
High expectations for quality
Provide honest and constructive feedback
Focus on issues of content that may trigger bias
and sensitivity
Be familiar with the Smarter Balanced Bias and
Sensitivity Guidelines
Bias and Sensitivity Guidelines
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Validity and Fairness
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Barriers to Fairness
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Topics to Treat with Care
Fair Topics and Language
Topics to be Avoided
Representation of Diversity
Topics Examined in this Module
• Fairness
• Topics that are Fair
• Topics Treated with Care
• Topics to be Avoided
• Representation of Diversity
How an Item Functions
Present
Information
Interact
with
Content
Stimulate Construct
Apply Construct
Produce
Response
Produce
Score
Make
Inference
Produce Visible Product
of Construct
Measure of
Construct
Statement
About Construct
Barriers to Valid Measurement
Present
Information
Interact
with
Content
Stimulate Construct
Apply Construct
Produce
Response
Quantitative
Score
Inference
Visible Product
of Construct
Measure of
Construct
Statement
About Construct
Inaccurate receiptChallenges
Inaccurate
or interpretation
interacting with production or
of stimulus
content
recording of
response
Jimmy is the star on his football team. This season he scored ten
touchdowns, kicked twenty extra points, and had eight field goals.
What is the total number of points Jimmy has scored this season?
104
What is
a field
goal?
Bias
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Bias occurs when content contained in an
item or task creates an unfair disadvantage
for a sub-group of students
– Unfamiliar contexts or examples
– Unusual names of people or places
– References to local events or issues
Sensitivity
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Sensitivity focuses on content that creates
unease, provokes negative feelings, or
challenges beliefs or values.
– Religions, religious practices, and religious figures
– Political topics
– Issues of gender, race, ethnicity, and culture
Topics and Language
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Topics that are fair
Topics to be avoided
Topics to be treated with care
Topics Fair to Include
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Topics required by Common Core State Standards
Topics to which all students should have been exposed
Information that is required for the item and which
is presented in the stimulus
Topics students with disabilities have been exposed
to in the classroom
Topics students who are developing English language
skills have been exposed to in the classroom
Topics to be Avoided
Key Questions
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Is the word used primarily in a specific
region or localized context?
Is the topic or term associated with a
specific religion?
Is the topic associated with a specific trade
or occupation?
Is the phrase an idiom or figure of speech?
Topics to be Avoided
• Pregnancy
• Contraception
• Abortion
• Sexual behavior or innuendo
• Abuse of people or animals
• Murder
• Assault
• Rape
• Torture
• Stealing
• Witches, ghosts, and vampires
• Deportation
• Experimentation on people
or animals
• Killing animals for sport
• Suicide
• Euthanasia
• Gun control
• Climate change
• Prayer in school
• Partisan political issues
• Ethnic conflict
• Religious disputes
Topics Treated with Care
Examples
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Accidents and natural disasters
Advocacy
Alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs
Animals that frighten children
Antisocial, criminal, or
inappropriate behaviors
Biographical materials
Dangerous activities
Death and Dying
Evolution
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Family problems
Gambling
Holidays and birthdays
Homelessness and evictions
Immigration
Junk food
Luxuries
Medicines and diet supplements
Obesity and body-image
Slavery
Terrorism and war
Avoiding Stereotypes
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Language
Images
Social and occupational roles
Behaviors and characteristics
Appropriate Labels for Groups
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Black or African American
Asian American: Refer to nation of origin
(e.g., Japanese American, Chinese American)
People with disabilities
Latino/Latina American
Native American or American Indian
Representation of Diversity
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Males and females equally represented
Minority group representation
People of different ages, physical abilities,
and social classes
Variety of life situations
Summary of Module
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Topics that are fair
Topics to be avoided
Topics to treat with care
Avoid stereotypes
Appropriate labels for groups of people
Representation of diversity
Bias and Sensitivity Guidelines