What do standard scores allow for in educational assessments?

Standard scores play a crucial role in educational assessments by allowing for the comparison of raw scores among students. This is important because raw scores, which reflect the number of items answered correctly on a test, can vary widely depending on the difficulty of the assessment and the specific population of test-takers. Standard scores, on the other hand, convert these raw scores into a common scale, making it possible to compare individual student performances within the same context.

By converting raw scores to standard scores, educators can see how a student's performance relates to the performance of peers, thereby providing valuable context. This helps in identifying students who are performing at, above, or below expected levels. It also allows for a clearer understanding of where a student stands in comparison to the overall population, facilitating targeted interventions or support where needed.

The other options, while related to educational assessments, do not accurately capture the primary function of standard scores. They do not focus on providing a standardized metric for comparison, which is essential in the educational assessment context.