The California Department of Education Wants to Gauge the Difficulty

question 79

Essay

The California Department of Education wants to gauge the difficulty of a new exam by having a sample of students at a particular school take the exam. The quality of the students at the chosen school varies widely and the school administrators are allowed to choose who gets to take the exam. The administrators have a strong incentive for the school to do well on the exam. Do you think the results will represent the true ability of the students at school? What kind of bias, if any, do you think will be present? Explain.

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Definitions:

Primary System

The process by which political parties in the United States select their candidates for election to public office, typically through votes by registered party members.

Public Best

The concept of acting in the interest and welfare of the general public or community at large.

Voter ID Requirements

Laws that require individuals to present certain forms of identification in order to vote, aimed at preventing voter fraud.

Demographic Groups

Categories of populations based on characteristics such as age, race, gender, income level, and education.