Abstract
In the study the Houghton Mifflin Selection Test short answer response questions were evaluated for developmental appropriateness and validity in the application of their results for the purpose of establishing reading report card grades for third-grade students. Third-grade and fifth-grade students’ responses were evaluated by two scorer’s and analyzed by grade-level, literal and inferential questions, single-part and multi-part questions. It was determined that third-grade and fifth-grade students each demonstrated difficulty on the short answer response questions possibly due to the validity concerns with each test question