Which statement is an advantage of criterion-referenced assessments?

• A. Can be used to assess progress in a specific area of weakness
• B. They require complex scoring
• C. They show large inter-rater variability
• D. They provide broad, generic skills coverage

Answer: (A)

Criterion-referenced assessments measure whether a learner has achieved predefined criteria or mastery of specific skills, rather than how they compare to peers. This makes them especially powerful for tracking progress in a targeted area of weakness because you can set explicit mastery goals and see if those exact skills have been learned over time. The scoring rests on whether the learner meets the criteria, which supports clear, instructional decision-making and ongoing progress monitoring. So, the best choice reflects that you can assess progress in a specific area of weakness. In contrast, options suggesting complex scoring, high inter-rater variability, or broad, generic coverage don’t capture this targeted, mastery-focused advantage.