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Developing a Vertically Scaled Assessment of Elementary Students' Number Sense

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Title: Developing a Vertically Scaled Assessment of Elementary Students' Number Sense
Language: English
Authors: Patrick K. Kirkland (ORCID 0000-0001-9868-337X), Claire Guang, Chineme Otuonye (ORCID 0009-0002-3896-6372), Ying Cheng, Nicole M. McNeil
Source: Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment. 2026 44(3):275-297.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 23
Publication Date: 2026
Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL)
National Science Foundation (NSF), Education and Human Resources (EHR)
Contract Number: 2100214
2400686
Intended Audience: Researchers; Teachers
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Early Childhood Education
Grade 3
Primary Education
Grade 4
Intermediate Grades
Grade 5
Middle Schools
Descriptors: Test Construction, Test Validity, Elementary School Students, Measures (Individuals), Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Mathematics, Comprehension, Number Concepts
DOI: 10.1177/07342829251389259
ISSN: 0734-2829
1557-5144
Abstract: This article advances an argument-based approach to presenting validity evidence for a brief assessment of 3rd-5th grade students' number sense. Improving students' number sense has been a goal of K-12 mathematics education in the US since the late 1980's, and several popular instructional practices are hypothesized to meet this need. However, there is limited evidence in the literature that elementary students' number sense is improving. We worked to develop a brief assessment for 3rd-5th grade students and then conducted a series of studies to collect evidence that students' scores reflect their number sense. We present the assessment here along with our intended interpretations and ways to use student scores. We then outline our validity argument, organized by four specific claims addressing the connection between student responses on the assessment and their number sense. Researchers and educators can now use the assessment to efficiently measure elementary students' number sense.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1502885
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Developing a Vertically Scaled Assessment of Elementary Students' Number Sense
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Patrick+K%2E+Kirkland%22">Patrick K. Kirkland</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9868-337X">0000-0001-9868-337X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Claire+Guang%22">Claire Guang</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chineme+Otuonye%22">Chineme Otuonye</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3896-6372">0009-0002-3896-6372</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ying+Cheng%22">Ying Cheng</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Nicole+M%2E+McNeil%22">Nicole M. McNeil</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Psychoeducational+Assessment%22"><i>Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment</i></searchLink>. 2026 44(3):275-297.
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
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  Data: 23
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  Label: Publication Date
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL)<br />National Science Foundation (NSF), Education and Human Resources (EHR)
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  Data: Researchers; Teachers
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+3%22">Grade 3</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Primary+Education%22">Primary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+4%22">Grade 4</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Intermediate+Grades%22">Intermediate Grades</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+5%22">Grade 5</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Middle+Schools%22">Middle Schools</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Construction%22">Test Construction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+Validity%22">Test Validity</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Students%22">Elementary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Measures+%28Individuals%29%22">Measures (Individuals)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+3%22">Grade 3</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+4%22">Grade 4</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+5%22">Grade 5</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics%22">Mathematics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Comprehension%22">Comprehension</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Number+Concepts%22">Number Concepts</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1177/07342829251389259
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  Data: 0734-2829<br />1557-5144
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  Data: This article advances an argument-based approach to presenting validity evidence for a brief assessment of 3rd-5th grade students' number sense. Improving students' number sense has been a goal of K-12 mathematics education in the US since the late 1980's, and several popular instructional practices are hypothesized to meet this need. However, there is limited evidence in the literature that elementary students' number sense is improving. We worked to develop a brief assessment for 3rd-5th grade students and then conducted a series of studies to collect evidence that students' scores reflect their number sense. We present the assessment here along with our intended interpretations and ways to use student scores. We then outline our validity argument, organized by four specific claims addressing the connection between student responses on the assessment and their number sense. Researchers and educators can now use the assessment to efficiently measure elementary students' number sense.
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  Data: 2026
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  Data: EJ1502885
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        Value: 10.1177/07342829251389259
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      – Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Test Construction
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      – SubjectFull: Test Validity
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      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Students
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      – SubjectFull: Mathematics
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      – SubjectFull: Comprehension
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      – SubjectFull: Number Concepts
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