How Do I Create Fair and Unbiased Tests?

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"Welcome back to Teaching with Valor, the podcast where we dive deep into the essential questions that drive us to be better educators. I’m your host, Don Fessenden, and today, we’re exploring a question that every teacher grapples with at some point: How do I create fair and unbiased tests?

Creating fair and unbiased tests isn’t just about writing questions and scoring answers. It’s about ensuring that the assessment reflects students' knowledge and skills in a way that is equitable and accessible to all learners. We’ve all had those moments when a student—bright and capable—doesn’t perform well on a test, and it leaves us wondering: Was it the student or was it the test?

Testing can often be high stakes for students, parents, and teachers alike. But our role as educators is to ensure that these assessments are not only accurate reflections of what students have learned but also constructed in a way that doesn’t unintentionally advantage or disadvantage any group of students. Today, we’ll be discussing how to design assessments that are valid, reliable, and fair, across elementary, middle, and high school levels. We’ll touch on everything from question format to language use, and we’ll explore how to account for the diversity of learning styles and backgrounds.

Show Notes

For more information on this topic checkout the following resources:

• Edutopia – Creating Fair and Equitable Assessments: www.edutopia.org
• The Cult of Pedagogy – Avoiding Bias in Testing: A guide to creating inclusive assessments.
• The Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing: A detailed look at the principles of fair and valid assessments.
• Kahoot and Google Forms: Tools for real-time, low-stakes formative assessments.
• Rick Wormeli – Fair Isn’t Always Equal: A book on grading and differentiating assessments for diverse learners.

Stay tuned for more episodes, and remember, every student is unique, and every classroom can be a place where all students succeed. Keep teaching with valor!

Episode Transcript

Don (00:08):
"Welcome to Teaching with Valor, the podcast where we dive
into the heart of education,helping teachers, parents, and
students thrive.
I’m your host, Don Fessenden,and if you’re passionate about
making a difference ineducation, you’ve come to the
right place.
Before we jump into today’s deepdive episode, I’d like to ask

(00:29):
for your support.
If you find value in theseconversations, please take a
moment to like, subscribe, andshare this podcast with your
fellow educators and parents.
Your support helps us reach morepeople, empowering more teachers
and families to navigate thechallenges of education with
confidence and courage.
So hit that subscribe button,share this episode, and let’s

(00:53):
continue to grow this communitytogether." Today, we’re
exploring a question that everyteacher grapples with at some

point (01:01):
How do I create fair and unbiased tests?
Creating fair and unbiased testsisn’t just about writing
questions and scoring answers.
It’s about ensuring that theassessment reflects students'
knowledge and skills in a waythat is equitable and accessible
to all learners.
We’ve all had those moments whena student—bright and

(01:23):
capable—doesn’t perform well ona test, and it leaves us

wondering (01:26):
Was it the student or was it the test?
Testing can often be high stakesfor students, parents, and
teachers alike.
But our role as educators is toensure that these assessments
are not only accuratereflections of what students
have learned but alsoconstructed in a way that
doesn’t unintentionallyadvantage or disadvantage any

(01:48):
group of students.
Today, we’ll be discussing howto design assessments that are
valid, reliable, and fair,across elementary, middle, and
high school levels.
We’ll touch on everything fromquestion format to language use,
and we’ll explore how to accountfor the diversity of learning
styles and backgrounds.
And for our parent listeners,stick around for a bonus segment

where we’ll answer the question: How can I help my child prepare (02:11):
undefined
for tests in a way that reducesanxiety?
Let’s jump right in." In ourfirst segment we look at
Understanding What Makes a TestFair and Unbiased.
"Before we get into the detailsof how to create fair and
unbiased tests, let’s first talkabout what that means.

(02:33):
A test is considered fair whenit accurately reflects the
material taught, and when allstudents have an equal
opportunity to succeed.
A test is unbiased when itavoids any language, content, or
assumptions that might favor onegroup of students over another.
The goal of any test should beto measure students'
understanding of the content,not their background, cultural

(02:57):
experiences, or test-takingskills.
Unfortunately, biases can sneakinto our tests in ways we may
not even notice—whether it’s thewording of a question, the
cultural context of a readingpassage, or the assumption that
all students learn the same way.
To create fair and unbiasedtests, we need to think deeply

(03:18):
about how our assessments alignwith what we’ve taught and how
they accommodate the diverseneeds of our students.
This includes considering thelanguage we use, the format of
the questions, and even the timegiven to complete the test.
Let’s begin by examining whatthis looks like in the
elementary classroom, whereassessments are often the first

(03:40):
formal experiences students havewith testing.""In elementary
school, assessments are oftenused to gauge students'
understanding of foundationalskills—whether it’s reading
comprehension, basic math, orscience concepts.
But at this stage, students arealso learning how to take tests.

(04:00):
They’re still developing theirtest-taking strategies, which
makes it crucial to ensure thatour assessments are fair and
appropriately challenging foryoung learners.
One of the first steps increating a fair test at the
elementary level is ensuringthat the questions directly
reflect the content that hasbeen taught.
It may sound simple, but it’ssurprisingly easy to

(04:23):
accidentally include questionsthat go beyond what students
have practiced.
To avoid this, it’s helpful touse clear objectives as the
foundation of your test.
Each question should map back toa specific objective that you’ve
covered in class.
Another key factor is language.
Young students are stillbuilding their vocabulary, and

(04:45):
it’s important that the languageused in the test doesn’t confuse
or intimidate them.
Avoid using overly complex wordsor phrasing that could trip
students up.
Instead, opt forstraightforward, age-appropriate
language that focuses on thecontent being tested.
For example, if you’re testingmath skills, make sure the

(05:06):
question focuses on the math,not on understanding a
complicated word problem.
You’ll also want to consider theformat of the test.
Elementary students benefit froma variety of question types,
such as multiple-choice,short-answer, and matching.
This gives them multiple ways toshow what they know.

But be mindful of test fatigue: younger students can tire (05:26):
undefined
quickly.
Keep tests short and to thepoint, focusing on quality over
quantity.
And finally, don’t forget aboutvisual learners.
Incorporating diagrams,pictures, or charts can help
students who struggle withtext-heavy assessments.

(05:47):
For example, in a science test,you might ask students to label
parts of a plant using adiagram, rather than describing
it in words.
As we transition to middleschool, the challenges shift
slightly as students begin toengage with more complex
material and varying learningstyles.""Middle school is a

(06:08):
critical period for students.
They’re transitioning fromlearning basic skills to
applying those skills in morecomplex ways.
At this level, assessments startto carry more weight, and
students begin to experience awider variety of test
formats—everything from essaysto projects to standardized
tests.

(06:28):
The diversity of assessments cansometimes introduce
unintentional biases if we’renot careful.
One of the biggest challenges inmiddle school is ensuring that
tests are differentiated fordifferent learning styles.
Some students excel withtraditional multiple-choice or
short-answer questions, whileothers might perform better with

(06:49):
hands-on projects or oralpresentations.
The best way to create a fairassessment at this level is to
offer choice when possible.
For instance, allow students todemonstrate their understanding
through a project, apresentation, or a traditional
written test.
By offering multiple ways forstudents to show what they know,

(07:10):
you can ensure that each studenthas an opportunity to succeed in
a format that suits theirstrengths.
The language used in tests alsobecomes more nuanced in middle
school.
As students’ vocabulary expands,we may be tempted to use more
complex wording in our tests.
However, it’s important toremember that students are still

(07:31):
developing their readingcomprehension skills.
If a question is testing scienceor math, for example, the
wording should focus on thosesubjects rather than introducing
unnecessary linguisticcomplexity.
A fair test ensures thatstudents are being assessed on
the intended skills—not theirability to decode overly

(07:51):
complicated instructions.
Additionally, cultural bias cansneak into middle school tests,
especially in subjects likelanguage arts and social
studies.
Be mindful of the examples orscenarios you use in questions.
Make sure they reflect adiversity of experiences and
backgrounds.
For example, instead of askingabout a family trip to a cabin:

(08:15):
something not all students mayhave experienced: you might use
a more universally relatablesituation, like describing a day
at school.
Middle school assessments shouldalso start to incorporate
self-assessment elements.
Encourage students to reflect ontheir own learning and evaluate
their performance onassessments.

(08:36):
This not only promotes a growthmindset but also allows students
to recognize areas where theymay need additional support.
Now, let’s move on to highschool, where assessments become
more specialized and the stakesare higher.""In high school,
tests and assessments take on anew level of importance.

(08:57):
Whether it’s preparing forcollege entrance exams, Advanced
Placement tests, or simplymastering the content needed for
graduation, the pressure toperform is palpable.
At this level, it becomes evenmore essential to ensure that
assessments are fair,transparent, and unbiased.
One of the first considerationswhen creating a high school test

(09:20):
is to ensure contentvalidity—that is, the test
should accurately measure whatit’s intended to measure.
In other words, if the test iscovering a unit on Shakespeare,
every question should bedirectly tied to the skills or
knowledge taught during thatunit.
This ensures that students arenot blindsided by questions that

(09:40):
seem unrelated to the contentthey’ve been learning.
High school tests should alsoaccount for diverse learning
styles.
Some students excel attraditional tests, while others
may do better with projects,essays, or even presentations.
Offering a variety of assessmenttypes throughout the semester
can help ensure that allstudents have opportunities to

(10:03):
demonstrate their learning inways that work best for them.
It’s also important to bemindful of test anxiety at this
level.
High school students are oftendealing with the pressure of
college applications,extracurricular activities, and
a growing workload.
To mitigate test anxiety, beclear about the structure of the

(10:23):
test ahead of time.
Give students sample questionsor practice exams so they know
what to expect.
And consider incorporating morelow-stakes formative assessments
leading up to the summativeassessments.
This helps build theirconfidence and gives you a
clearer picture of theirprogress before the big test
day.
Another area to watch for biasis in cultural references and

(10:47):
assumptions.
For example, in a literatureclass, when asking students to
interpret a text, be aware ofcultural differences that might
shape how students understandcertain passages or themes.
It’s important to avoid makingassumptions about what students
have been exposed to or howthey’ll relate to the material.

(11:08):
As a final point, high schoolassessments should incorporate
opportunities forself-assessment and peer
assessment.
Encouraging students to reflecton their own work, and even
assess their peers’ work,fosters a deeper understanding
of the material and teachesvaluable skills in critical
thinking and evaluation.

(11:31):
"Now that we’ve explored how tocreate fair and unbiased tests
across elementary, middle, andhigh school, let’s move into our
bonus segment where we’ll answera common parent question: How
can I help my child prepare fortests without adding extra
stress?""Parents often ask howthey can support their children

(11:52):
in preparing for tests withoutadding unnecessary pressure.

Here’s the key (11:56):
focus on consistent study habits and
building confidence over time,rather than last-minute
cramming.
Encourage your child to reviewmaterial regularly.
Break down study sessions intosmall, manageable chunks, and
make sure they’re reviewingcontent in a low-pressure
environment.

(12:17):
One of the most effectivestrategies is to practice
retrieval—ask your child toexplain what they’ve learned,
either to you or to a studybuddy, as this reinforces
understanding.
Another tip is to emphasizegrowth mindset language.
Remind your child that tests areopportunities to see where
they’re improving, and that it’sokay not to get everything right

(12:40):
the first time.
The goal is progress, notperfection." Todays episode
takeaways.
"Creating fair and unbiasedtests is a vital part of our
responsibility as educators.
It’s about more than justevaluating student
knowledge—it’s about creatingopportunities for all students
to succeed.

(13:01):
Whether we’re teachingelementary, middle, or high
school, we have the power todesign assessments that are
equitable, inclusive, andreflective of the diverse
learners in our classrooms.
Thank you for joining us ontoday’s episode of Teaching with
Valor.
For more resources on creatingfair and unbiased assessments,
check out the links in ourepisode description.

(13:24):
And remember—when we assessfairly, we’re not just testing
knowledge; we’re creatingpathways for learning and
growth.
Keep striving, keep reflecting,and as always, keep teaching
with valor."