Item Specification Table Aligning Standards and Assessment

Grade level:

Unit of Instruction:

Assessment Created By:

Use(s) for the Assessment Results: Instructional decision-making

Measuring achievement

Program Placement

(intervention/acceleration)
User(s) of the Assessment Results: Teachers Students Parents
Instructional Placement:

Pre-Assessment

Specialist:

Interim/Through-Course

Other:
Post-Assessment

Other:

Directions for completing the attached table:

Column 1:Record the exact standards/targets/objectives to be assessed. Each standard/target/objective should be recorded on
a different line.
Column 2:Determine and indicate the DOK Level, or levels, represented within each of the standards/targets/objectives.
Standards may contain multiple DOK levels.
Column 3: Determine the number of assessment items that will be necessary to determine mastery of each
standard/target/objective.
Column 4: Review the unit assessment. Indicate the actual item numbers, or tasks, that align to each standard/target/objective.
If creating an assessment, come back to this column upon completion of the assessment.

Item Specification Table Aligning Standards and Assessment

Column 5: Determine the DOK level represented by each item or task. If generating an assessment, this column is
completed after the items/tasks are identified or written.
Column 6:Identify the assessment method for each assessment item based on the method most appropriate for the
standard/target/objective and DOK level. Some standards/targets/objectives may be best assessed with one of the
methods, some may need BOTH methods to ensure full mastery.
Row A:

Add up Column 4 and record the total number of assessment items that will constitute the final assessment.
COLUMN 1

Standard/Target/Objective
Aim for 4-5 essential targets for mastery per
unit
Aim for 1-3 enabling targets for through unit

COLUMN 2

Standard,
Target,
Objective
DOK
Level(s)

COLUMN 3

Total Number of
Assessment Items
to Measure Each
Standard
Aim for 4-5 items per
target

COLUMN 4

Assessment Item
Number(s)
It is possible for the
same item number to
be written next to more
than one target.

COLUMN 5

DOK Level(s)
of
Assessment
Items

COLUMN 6

Assessment Method(s)
Selected Response (e.g., multiple
choice, binary choice, matching,
etc.)
Constructed Response (e.g.,
extended response, essay,
performance, etc.)

Item Specification Table Aligning Standards and Assessment

COLUMN 1

Standard/Target/Objective
Aim for 4-5 essential targets for mastery per
unit
Aim for 1-3 enabling targets for through unit

COLUMN 2

Standard,
Target,
Objective
DOK
Level(s)

TOTAL NUMBER OF ASSESSMENT

ITEMS

COLUMN 3

Total Number of
Assessment Items
to Measure Each
Standard
Aim for 4-5 items per
target

COLUMN 4

Assessment Item
Number(s)
It is possible for the
same item number to
be written next to more
than one target.

COLUMN 5

DOK Level(s)
of
Assessment
Items

COLUMN 6

Assessment Method(s)
Selected Response (e.g., multiple
choice, binary choice, matching,
etc.)
Constructed Response (e.g.,
extended response, essay,
performance, etc.)