Final answer:
A standardized test that considers the availability of coaching aims to assess academic knowledge with a focus on fairness in testing. It attempts to negate advantages that wealthier students might have due to access to resources like specialized coaching.
Step-by-step explanation:
The goal of a standardized test that considers the availability of coaching is to assess academic knowledge while aiming for fairness in testing. This approach tries to minimize inequalities that may arise from disparities in socioeconomic status or the effectiveness of coaching that wealthier students might have access to. By considering coaching availability, test designers and educational policymakers attempt to create a test that more accurately reflects a student's own abilities, rather than their access to test-preparation resources.
The National Center for Fair & Open Testing (FairTest) and similar organizations advocate for the reduction of bias in standardized testing. They highlight issues suggesting that traditional standardized tests may inadvertently favor students from more affluent backgrounds, who have greater access to resources such as specialized coaching, thereby perpetuating a cycle of inequality. This is further complicated by lurking variables which may suggest that test outcomes are influenced by factors such as cultural knowledge or access to quality education, rather than innate ability or intelligence.