About the Tests

About Test Blueprints

Test blueprints are created to provide guidance to Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) during the item writing phase of test development. In addition, we believe that they can assist those instructors who did not participate in item writing (and administrators) to understand the broad content of the item bank. Items are formally allocated across a course outline in a three-step process*:

  1. CETE psychometricians send a survey starting in the summer prior to item writing and until the item bank is written. The survey asks teachers to identify competencies they deem to be most important within the course as well as the difficulty level of writing items to each competency. Survey data is used to create a suggested blueprint for review by the Ohio Department of Education program specialists and SMEs.
  2. SMEs review the blueprint as a large group before item writing for a specific EOC test. There and in small groups, SMEs review the course outline and have the ability to make changes to the blueprint with a documented rationale based on their experience and expertise.
  3. Any revisions during small group work must be approved by the larger panel of SMEs attending an item writing workshop, as well as the program specialist from the Ohio Department of Education, which is the last step and produces the final blueprint which is summarized in this document.

Test blueprints can provide high-level guidance to instructors on preparing students for testing. It is important to keep in mind that the blueprint is a tool that is used when developing the test item bank during initial item writing and test creation. As with all tests, the End-of-Course test forms are a sample of the item bank.

Interpreting the Blueprints

Test blueprints display the total number of test items SMEs planned to write to a particular outcome (as designated in the course outline created by the Ohio Department of Education Office of Career-Technical Education or by a vendor). The blueprint describes structure of the item bank which is the total pool of test items created. Final test forms of 40-items are created from the item bank.

* This newer process for producing test blueprints was implemented October 1, 2015. Item banks created prior to this date were completed under a different blueprint process and therefore we are looking backward to provide the structure of the item bank. As revisions are completed for those career fields, for example Information Technology (2017-18), the blueprint process used will be the newer model. Learn more at cete.osu.edu/expertise/assessment

Test Blueprints

Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources

ODE Subject Code: 010105
Outcome #Outcome Name% Items Approved by SMEs
Strand 1. Business Operations/21st Century Skills
1.2Leadership and Communications2.22%
1.4Knowledge Management and Information Technology1.11%
1.6Business Literacy1.11%
1.9Financial Management2.22%
1.12Site and Personal Safety Procedures 8.89%
Strand 2. Animal Science
2.3Care and Management13.33%
Strand 3. Biotechnology
3.1Handling, Preparation, Storage, and Disposal3.33%
3.4Molecular-Genetics Technology5.56%
3.6Culturing3.33%
Strand 4. Power Systems
4.1Tool, Stationary and Mobile Equipment Maintenance1.11%
4.3Engines5.56%
Strand 5. Structural Engineering
5.3Design and Estimate3.33%
5.6Construction5.56%
5.10Joining and Cutting Metals with Heat3.33%
Strand 6. Environmental Science
6.1Soils11.11%
6.2Water Quality3.33%
6.11Habitat Management and Restoration3.33%
Strand 7. Food Science
7.2Quality Assurance3.33%
7.5Food Product Development3.33%
Strand 8. Plant Science
8.1Plant Nutrition4.44%
8.4Growth and Management5.56%
Strand 9. Energy
9.1Energy Sources5.56%

Business Management for Agricultural and Environmental Systems

ODE Subject Code: 010115
Outcome #Outcome Name% Items Approved by SMEs
Strand 1. Business Operations/21st Century Skills
1.1Employability Skills12.64%
1.2Leadership and Communications13.79%
1.3Business Ethics and Law5.75%
1.4Knowledge Management and Information Technology4.60%
1.5Global Environment1.15%
1.6Business Literacy14.94%
1.7Entrepreneurship/ Entrepreneurs8.05%
1.8Operations Management10.34%
1.9Financial Management17.24%
1.10Sales and Marketing6.90%
Strand 7. Food Science
7.7Biosecurity4.60%

Environmental Science for Agriculture and Natural Resources

ODE Subject Code: 010720
Outcome #Outcome Name% Items Approved by SMEs
Strand 1. Business Operations/21st Century Skills
1.1Employability Skills2.15%
1.2Leadership and Communications3.23%
1.3Business Ethics and Law1.08%
1.11Principles of Business Economics3.23%
1.12Site and Personal Safety Procedures 2.15%
Strand 2. Animal Science
2.3Care and Management1.08%
2.4Recognizing Diseases and Disorders2.15%
2.6Population Management1.08%
Strand 3. Biotechnology
3.8Research and Experiments 9.68%
Strand 6. Environmental Science
6.1Soils7.53%
6.2Water Quality5.38%
6.3Air Quality3.23%
6.4Water Use and Management3.23%
6.5Potable Water Treatment2.15%
6.6Wastewater Operations5.38%
6.7Solid Waste and Renewable Resource Management7.53%
6.8Contaminants and Pollution Control7.53%
6.9Hazardous Materials and Waste Management 4.30%
6.10Ecosystems8.60%
6.11Habitat Management and Restoration8.60%
Strand 8. Plant Science
8.3Pest Management2.15%
Strand 9. Energy
9.1Energy Sources8.60%

Science and Technology of Food

ODE Subject Code: 011010
Outcome #Outcome Name% Items Approved by SMEs
Strand 1. Business Operations/21st Century Skills
1.3Business Ethics and Law3.61%
Strand 3. Biotechnology
3.2Foundations of Chemistry 7.23%
3.3Microbiology Testing and Technology4.82%
3.5Laboratory Standard Operational Procedures 4.82%
3.6Culturing3.61%
3.8Research and Experiments 10.84%
Strand 7. Food Science
7.1The Science of Food26.51%
7.2Quality Assurance3.61%
7.4Food Production and Processing10.84%
7.5Food Product Development10.84%
7.6Food Safety and Sanitation6.02%
7.7Biosecurity7.23%

Food Marketing and Research

ODE Subject Code: 011015
Outcome #Outcome Name% Items Approved by SMEs
Strand 1. Business Operations/21st Century Skills
1.2Leadership and Communications16.05%
1.3Business Ethics and Law11.11%
1.4Knowledge Management and Information Technology2.47%
1.5Global Environment8.64%
1.6Business Literacy8.64%
1.10Sales and Marketing7.41%
Strand 3. Biotechnology
3.8Research and Experiments 16.05%
Strand 7. Food Science
7.2Quality Assurance7.41%
7.4Food Production and Processing6.17%
7.5Food Product Development11.11%
7.6Food Safety and Sanitation4.94%

Meat Science and Technology

ODE Subject Code: 011020
Outcome #Outcome Name% Items Approved by SMEs
Strand 1. Business Operations/21st Century Skills
1.2Leadership and Communications2.33%
1.3Business Ethics and Law4.65%
1.6Business Literacy2.33%
1.8Operations Management2.33%
1.9Financial Management2.33%
1.10Sales and Marketing4.65%
1.12Site and Personal Safety Procedures 10.47%
Strand 4. Power Systems
4.1Tool, Stationary and Mobile Equipment Maintenance10.47%
4.2Equipment Operations6.98%
Strand 6. Environmental Science
6.7Solid Waste and Renewable Resource Management2.33%
Strand 7. Food Science
7.1The Science of Food9.30%
7.3Meat Science 11.63%
7.4Food Production and Processing9.30%
7.5Food Product Development2.33%
7.6Food Safety and Sanitation12.79%
7.7Biosecurity5.81%

Applications of Food Science and Safety

ODE Subject Code: 011030
Outcome #Outcome Name% Items Approved by SMEs
Strand 1. Business Operations/21st Century Skills
1.3Business Ethics and Law3.57%
1.12Site and Personal Safety Procedures 7.14%
Strand 7. Food Science
7.1The Science of Food26.19%
7.2Quality Assurance10.71%
7.4Food Production and Processing15.48%
7.5Food Product Development14.29%
7.6Food Safety and Sanitation14.29%
7.7Biosecurity8.33%

Animal and Plant Biotechnology

ODE Subject Code: 012010
Outcome #Outcome Name% Items Approved by SMEs
Strand 1. Business Operations/21st Century Skills
1.1Employability Skills15.12%
1.2Leadership and Communications5.81%
1.3Business Ethics and Law3.49%
1.4Knowledge Management and Information Technology3.49%
1.5Global Environment4.65%
1.10Sales and Marketing4.65%
1.12Site and Personal Safety Procedures 5.81%
Strand 3. Biotechnology
3.2Foundations of Chemistry 4.65%
3.3Microbiology Testing and Technology4.65%
3.4Molecular-Genetics Technology20.93%
3.5Laboratory Standard Operational Procedures 6.98%
3.6Culturing5.81%
3.8Research and Experiments 6.98%
Strand 4. Power Systems
4.1Tool, Stationary and Mobile Equipment Maintenance2.33%
Strand 7. Food Science
7.7Biosecurity4.65%

Principles and Practices of Bioscience Technologies

ODE Subject Code: 012015
Outcome #Outcome Name% Items Approved by SMEs
Strand 3. Biotechnology
3.1Handling, Preparation, Storage, and Disposal19.77%
3.2Foundations of Chemistry 12.79%
3.3Microbiology Testing and Technology10.47%
3.4Molecular-Genetics Technology17.44%
3.5Laboratory Standard Operational Procedures 15.12%
3.6Culturing6.98%
3.7Bioreactor Technologies5.81%
3.8Research and Experiments 11.63%

Genetics of Plants and Animals

ODE Subject Code: 012020
Outcome #Outcome Name% Items Approved by SMEs
Strand 1. Business Operations/21st Century Skills
1.12Site and Personal Safety Procedures 10.71%
Strand 3. Biotechnology
3.2Foundations of Chemistry 5.95%
3.3Microbiology Testing and Technology17.86%
3.4Molecular-Genetics Technology44.05%
3.5Laboratory Standard Operational Procedures 14.29%
3.8Research and Experiments 7.14%

Bioresearch

ODE Subject Code: 012025
Outcome #Outcome Name% Items Approved by SMEs
Strand 1. Business Operations/21st Century Skills
1.1Employability Skills3.57%
1.2Leadership and Communications2.38%
1.4Knowledge Management and Information Technology5.95%
Strand 3. Biotechnology
3.1Handling, Preparation, Storage, and Disposal3.57%
3.2Foundations of Chemistry 11.90%
3.3Microbiology Testing and Technology4.76%
3.4Molecular-Genetics Technology39.29%
3.5Laboratory Standard Operational Procedures 5.95%
3.6Culturing10.71%
3.7Bioreactor Technologies1.19%
3.8Research and Experiments 7.14%
Strand 7. Food Science
7.5Food Product Development3.57%

Biotechnology for Health and Disease

ODE Subject Code: 072125
Outcome #Outcome Name% Items Approved by SMEs
Strand 1. Business Operations/21st Century Skills
1.1Employability Skills1.09%
1.3Business Ethics and Law2.17%
1.5Global Environment1.09%
1.6Business Literacy2.17%
Strand 5. Bioscience Research and Development
5.3Microbiology Testing and Technology23.91%
5.4Molecular and Genetic Technology27.17%
5.5Laboratory Standard Operational Procedures21.74%
5.6Culturing20.65%

Genetics of Disease

ODE Subject Code: 072130
Outcome #Outcome Name% Items Approved by SMEs
Strand 5. Bioscience Research and Development
5.4Molecular and Genetic Technology57.73%
5.5Laboratory Standard Operational Procedures14.43%
5.6Culturing16.49%
5.8Biotechnology Research and Experiments11.34%

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