Responsibilities of Users of Standardized Tests (RUST-4E): Prepared for the Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling

In April 2021, The Association for Assessment and Research in Counseling Executive Council commissioned a time-referenced task group to revise the Responsibilities of Users of Standardized Tests (RUST) Statement (3rd edition) published by the Association for Assessment in Counseling (AAC) in 2003. The task group developed a work plan to implement a recursive process for document review, gap analysis, commentary representation, bias accounting, and content revision. While some updates to the document were minor, several substantive enhancements to the structure were made including a re-defined scope, definition of terms, and identification of values that are considered integral across all of the responsibilities. In addition the task group identified and included several updates to the document that are consistent with contemporary representations of evidence for test score validity/reliability and emphases on culturally responsive test administration, variance in score representation, training and supervision, use of technology-mediated testing platforms, and differential consequences of testing.