What does the term "validity" refer to in assessment?

The term "validity" in assessment refers specifically to the degree to which an assessment measures what it claims to measure. This is crucial because an assessment can be reliable—yielding consistent results over time—but still not be valid if it does not assess the intended construct. For example, if a math test is intended to measure students' problem-solving skills in mathematics but instead assesses their reading comprehension of math problems, it lacks validity.

Validity encompasses various aspects, including content validity, criterion-related validity, and construct validity, each focusing on different dimensions of what an assessment is intended to evaluate. In special education, ensuring validity is paramount, as it affects how accurately a student's abilities, limitations, and educational needs are understood. This ultimately influences educational planning and supports tailored to individual students.

The other options pertain to different concepts related to assessments, such as reliability and the comparison of assessments, but they do not accurately capture the essence of validity.