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Home > Research > FAQ > What is mastery, and how does a criterion-referenced test help identify it?

What is mastery, and how does a criterion-referenced test help identify it?

Mastery is a level of performance that shows that a student has demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities for a unit of instruction or subject area as defined by a recognized standard. Criterion-referenced tests follow a rigorous process of development, review, and analysis that can lead to the determination of a cutoff score for each content area that defines and distinguishes mastery. Those students who score at or above a defined cutoff score are considered to have mastered the content area, and those who score below a defined cutoff score are considered to have not mastered the content area. Some states and school districts define levels of mastery and non-mastery to further distinguish student performance, such as advanced or in need of remediation.