SLTI also conducts translation verification studies for different state education departments. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act requires States that have assessment systems that include both a regular assessment in English and a non-English version of that assessment to demonstrate that these two assessments are comparable and aligned with the same academic content standards (NCLB Peer Review Guidance, 2004).

The purpose of a translation verification study is to verify that the items in the native-language version are appropriately translated or adapted from the original English version. When the faithfulness of the transadaptation is verified through a translation verification study, then a state can submit the study as evidence that the two corresponding standards-based assessments are measuring the same knowledge, skills and abilities. Thus, there is no need to set different cut-scores on each assessment or use different “raw-score to scale-score” conversions, since statistical differences in the results of the two assessments would most likely be due to differences in the examinee population that takes each assessment. Also, if the English version has already been shown to be aligned to the state’s content standards, it could be argued that the native-language version is also aligned to the state’s content standards if the translation verification study shows that the two corresponding assessments are measuring the same knowledge, skills and abilities. If you need more information or would like to discuss the possibility of SLTI conducting a translation verification study on a translated test, please contact Dr. Charles Stansfield at 301-231-6046 or Cstansfield@2LTI.com.