What are common biases in student assessments, and how can teachers avoid them?
Bias in Assessment: What Teachers Should Know
Assessment is essential to teaching but it’s not always fair. While tests, quizzes, rubrics, and performance tasks aim to measure learning, they can also reflect hidden biases that skew results, reinforce inequities, and misrepresent what students truly know.
Assessment bias isn't always intentional. Often, it stems from assumptions embedded in language, format, or cultural references. That’s why it’s critical for teachers and school leaders to examine assessment through an equity lens.
When educators design assessments with fairness and inclusion in mind, they create more accurate measures of student understanding and ensure all students have an opportunity to succeed.
What Is Bias in Assessment?
Bias in assessment occurs when a test or evaluation method unfairly advantages or disadvantages certain students based on factors unrelated to their academic ability — such as language, culture, race, socioeconomic background, gender, or ability.
These biases distort data, misinform instruction, and reinforce gaps that schools are trying to close.
6 Common Types of Bias in Student Assessments
1. Cultural Bias - Questions assume shared cultural knowledge that not all students have.
Example: A math problem that references snow shoveling or ordering lattes may confuse students from different climates or communities.
2. Linguistic Bias - Assessment language is unnecessarily complex or filled with idioms, making it harder for English Language Learners (ELLs) to show what they know.
Example: A science test that uses unfamiliar vocabulary or long-winded instructions instead of clear, accessible phrasing.
3. Socioeconomic Bias - Scenarios and examples assume access to resources like travel, technology, or extracurriculars.
Example: A prompt asking students to compare vacation experiences, assuming all students have taken one.
4. Ability Bias - Assessments disadvantage students with disabilities by ignoring accommodations or relying too heavily on a single mode of response.
Example: A test that requires longhand writing without offering speech-to-text or alternate formats for students with motor difficulties or dysgraphia.
5. Gender and Identity Bias - Wording, examples, or expectations reinforce gender stereotypes or ignore diverse identities.
Example: Story problems that assume binary gender roles or fail to reflect LGBTQ+ students and families.
6. Confirmation Bias in Grading - Teachers may unconsciously grade more harshly or leniently based on prior student performance, behavior, or identity.
Example: Two students give the same vague answer, but one receives the benefit of the doubt due to a teacher’s perception of their academic strength.
How Teachers Can Avoid Bias in Assessment
1. Audit Language for Clarity and Neutrality
Use plain language. Avoid slang, idioms, or culturally specific terms unless directly relevant to the learning goal.
Tip: Have a colleague or student review the assessment for clarity.
2. Offer Multiple Means of Expression
Use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles to allow students to show mastery in different ways:
Oral presentations
Visual projects
Videos or podcasts
Written reflections or annotated diagrams
This helps eliminate barriers related to language processing, writing fluency, or test anxiety.
3. Use Rubrics That Are Transparent and Flexible
Create rubrics that focus on what students are expected to learn, not how they present it.
Example: Grade based on clarity of argument, not handwriting or spelling (unless that’s part of the objective).
4. Review Questions for Equity Before Administering
Ask yourself:
Who might be confused or excluded by this question?
Does this scenario reflect a wide range of student experiences?
Am I testing content mastery or background knowledge?
5. Disaggregate Assessment Data
After grading, look at performance trends by:
Race and ethnicity
Language background
Disability status
Gender identity
This can reveal patterns in outcomes and prompt reflection or revision of assessment tools.
6. Include Student Voice
Ask students for feedback on how assessments felt:
Was the language clear?
Did they feel it was fair?
Would they prefer another way to show what they’ve learned?
This builds agency and uncovers barriers teachers may not notice.
Highlighting the need for fair, unbiased assessments in every classroom
The Role of School Leaders: Why Admin Must Care About Assessment Bias
Bias in assessment is not just a classroom issue. It’s a systems issue that school leaders must help address.
Administrators Can:
Provide training on equity in assessment and grading
Encourage collaborative assessment design that includes diverse perspectives
Lead curriculum audits that examine who is being served and who isn’t
Monitor schoolwide trends in grade distribution, referrals, and access to advanced coursework
Support inclusive grading policies that reflect growth, not just compliance
When leaders prioritize equitable assessment, it sends a clear message:
Every student’s growth deserves to be measured with accuracy, fairness, and care.
Final Thoughts: Measure What Matters - Fairly
The purpose of assessment is not to label students, it’s to illuminate learning. When assessments are biased, we don’t just misrepresent student knowledge, we risk undermining their confidence, opportunity, and future success. Every test, task, and rubric should answer the question: Does this give every student a real chance to show what they know? If not, it’s time to revise.
Looking for step-by-step guidance?
Check out Inclusive Classroom Resource Pack — strategies and templates for fostering equity and supporting diverse learners. Also included in the Inclusive & Supportive Teaching Pack.
Inclusive Classroom Resource Pack
Why Teachers Love It: Teachers love it because it provides practical strategies to support diverse learners and helps make every student feel seen, valued, and included.
Build a Caring & Inclusive Classroom - Foster belonging, support student well-being, and guide smooth transitions with this inclusive teaching resource bundle. Why Teachers Love It: Makes it easy to integrate SEL and DEI practices into everyday routines.