The notion of culturally responsive assessment evolves from earlier developed culturally responsive pedagogy, which places learners’ heritage at the center of the education system, including instruction, curricula, and assessment practices. This systemic approach supports teaching and assessment that foster critical thinking, question assumptions, and investigate non-traditional methods. A clear illustration of culturally responsive applications aired in the last year's CBC interview, where students, inspired by a core principle of culturally responsive pedagogy - the belief that all students can succeed regardless of their environment put into practice trigonometry to validate the Pythagorean theorem, defying the long-standing assertion that a purely trigonometric proof was unachievable.

Additionally, assessments intended to assess student proficiencies may unintentionally carry the cultural and perspectives of their creators into their design adding up bias, rather than reflecting the diverse experiences of test-takers. In this scenario, overlook cultural variations, and assessment designers risk marginalizing certain groups of learners, which could result in misinterpretations of student abilities and perpetuate systemic disparities in education. 

In this context, policymakers have a responsibility to make sure that assessments are not only scientifically valid and reliable but also equitable for all learners. This article explores the role of cultural responsiveness in assessment design from three critical perspectives: scientific research, practicalities, and government policies.

The Science of Cultural Responsiveness in Assessment

Research has consistently shown that assessments are not neutral instruments and are influenced by the cultural contexts in which they are created. Factors such as language, prior knowledge, and even test-taking behaviors vary across cultures and can impact performance. The following key factors highlight how cultural influences affect assessments:

Validity, Irrelevant Variance, and Underrepresentation in Multicultural Contexts

In this context, validity refers to the extent to which an assessment accurately measures what it claims to measure, which can be compromised when cultural biases are present. For example, a math problem that assumes familiarity with a particular sport or historical event from one culture may disadvantage students from another. Similarly, assessments that rely on idioms, metaphors, or culturally specific references in reading comprehension questions can unfairly penalize non-native speakers or students from different linguistic backgrounds. In such cases, cultural biases introduce irrelevant variance, causing the assessment to measure cultural familiarity rather than the intended knowledge or skills.

Beyond introducing bias, assessments can also fail to fully represent diverse cultural perspectives, leading to the concept of underrepresentation which means the lack of diverse cultural perspectives in test content. For example, if assessments primarily reflect one cultural framework, they fail to capture the full range of skills and knowledge of students from different backgrounds, which may lead to misdiagnosed learning gaps and inequitable educational opportunities. So, culturally responsive assessment design could support the assessment practices that are fair, inclusive, and reflective of diverse cultural perspectives, allowing all students to demonstrate their true abilities.

Culturally Responsive Assessment Design

From a practical perspective, culturally responsive assessment design actively engages students, values their cultural identities, and fosters meaningful learning experiences, with Stembridge’s (2020) Six Themes of Culturally Responsive Education providing a framework for inclusive assessments that allow diverse students to demonstrate their true knowledge and skills. According to the framework, six key principles of culturally responsive assessment design could be classified as strategies below: 

1. Engagement:

• Provide choice in assessment formats (e.g., projects, presentations, portfolios).

• Use real-world, culturally relevant examples to enhance meaning.

• Incorporate collaborative activities to foster participation.

2. Rigor:

• Encourage higher-order thinking using open-ended questions.

• Apply Bloom’s Taxonomy and Webb’s Depth of Knowledge for deep learning.

• Allow multiple interpretations and solution paths in assessment tasks.

3. Cultural Identity:

• Use diverse cultural references in test content.

• Allow students to draw on their cultural backgrounds in responses.

• Help students connect personal identity with academic learning.

4. Relationships:

• Design assessments that incorporate collaboration and peer learning.

• Encourage discussion-based and team-based assessments.

5. Vulnerability:

• Provide formative assessments and feedback before high-stakes testing.

• Create a safe space for intellectual risk-taking and mistakes.

6. Assets:

• Recognize students’ strengths, problem-solving skills, and cultural knowledge.

• Offer flexible ways for students to demonstrate learning.

By considering these strategies into assessment design, assessment developers could create inclusive, equitable, and meaningful assessments that empower all learners.

The Role of Government in Promoting Culturally Responsive Assessments

Government regulators in the assessment industry play an important role in setting assessment policies that promote fairness and cultural inclusivity. Standardized testing policies are an integral part of such regulations that should reflect the diverse populations they serve, making sure that assessments are not tools of exclusion but rather instruments of equity. Potential policy interventions are provided below that could promote cultural responsive assessments: 

• Setting Standards for Fair Testing: National and international assessment regulators could establish guidelines that require test developers to account for cultural and linguistic diversity.

• Funding Research on Responsive Assessment Models: Ongoing studies could focus on investigating how assessments can be designed to adapt to different cultural contexts while maintaining validity.

• Supporting Teacher Training: Education community, especially teachers could get training on creating and interpreting assessments through a culturally responsive lens, which supports assessments to be fair not only in high-stakes national exams but also in everyday classroom settings.

In practice, the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) maintains efforts to design test items that are culturally neutral, reducing bias in international comparisons. Similarly, some national exam boards have implemented bias reviews to support test content that does not disadvantage specific groups. However, a more responsive approach would involve designing assessments that dynamically adapt to cultural differences rather than merely neutralizing bias.

Dynamic Adaptation of Culturally Responsive Assessments

In conclusion, supporting culturally responsive assessments scientifically requires a strong focus on validity by minimizing construct-irrelevant variance and underrepresentation, both essential principles in their design. To support such an approach in the design of items, Stembridge’s (2020) Six Themes of Culturally Responsive Education could be a guiding framework for fostering a culturally responsive assessment culture, with six key principles addressing various aspects of test development. 

In systemic reform, government regulators could establish requirements for test development that prioritize cultural responsiveness, supporting assessments to serve a diverse population of test-takers. Eventually, the future of assessment requires such a paradigm shift that could set a new tone for the dynamic adaptation of cultural responsiveness in assessment, rather than addressing bias after it has already occurred.

About the Author

Vali Huseyn is an educational assessment specialist, recognized for his expertise in development projects of various aspects of the assessment cycle. His capability to advise on the improvement of assessment delivery models, administration of different levels of assessments, innovation within data analytics, and creation of quick, secure reporting techniques sets him apart in the field. His work, expanded by collaborations with leading assessment technology firms and certification bodies, has greatly advanced his community's assessment practices. At The State Examination Centre of Azerbaijan, Vali contributed to the transformations of local assessments and led key regional projects, such as unified registration and tracking platform of international testing programs, reviews of CEFR-aligned language assessments, PISA-supported assessment literacy trainings, and the institutional audit project, all aimed at improving the assessment culture across the country and former USSR region. 

Vali has received two prestigious scholarships for his studies: he completed an MA in Education Policy Planning and Administration at Boston University on a Fulbright Scholarship and also studied Educational Assessment at Durham University on a Chevening Scholarship.

Discover guided practices in modernizing assessments and gain insights into the future of educational assessments by connecting with Vali on LinkedIn.