Catherine J. Welch

Current Positions

• Professor of Educational Measurement and Statistics

College of Education Affiliations

• Department of Psychological and Quantitative Foundations
• Educational Measurement and Statistics

Education

• PhD in Educational Measurement & Statistics, University of Iowa
• MA in Educational Measurement & Statistics, University of Iowa
• BBA in Business Education, University of Iowa

Selected Awards & Honors

• 2013 IEREA Distinguished Research Award Winner, Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association, 2013
• 2012 IEREA Distinguished Research Award Winner, Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association, 2012
• 2011 IEREA Distinguished Research Award Winner, Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association, 2011

Professional Memberships

• National Council of Teachers of English
• National Council on Measurement in Education
• American Educational Research Association
• Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
• Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association

Selected Publications

• Welch, C. & Dunbar, S. (2021). Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, Science, Grades 5, 8 and 10. Iowa City, IA: Pearson.
• Dunbar, S. & Welch, C. (In Press). It’s Game Day in Large-Scale Assessment: Practical Considerations for Expanded Development and Use of Simulations and Game-Based Assessment in Large-Scale K–12 Testing Programs. In O'Neil, H. (Eds.) Theoretical Issues of Using Simulations and Games in Educational Assessment.
• Welch, C. & Dunbar, S. (2021). Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, Mathematics, Grades 3-11. (Vols. 21). Iowa City, IA: Pearson.
• Welch, C. & Dunbar, S. (2021). Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, English Language Arts, Grades 3-11. (Vols. 21). Iowa City, IA: Pearson.
• Welch, C. & Dunbar, S. (2021). Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, Reading, Grades 3-11. (Vols. 21). Iowa City, IA: Pearson.
• Welch, C. & Dunbasr, S. (In Press). Establishing fairness when developing educational tests. In Geisinger, K. & Jonson, J. (Eds.) Fairness in educational and psychological testing: examining theoretical, research, practice and policy implications of 2014 Standards. Washington, DC: American Education Research Association.
• Welch, C. & Dunbar, S. (2020). Alignment and implications for test takers. Educational Measurement: Issues and Practices 39 (2) 8-17.
• Welch, C. & Dunbar, S. (2020). Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, English Language Arts, Grades 3-11. (Vols. 20). Iowa City, IA: University of Iowa.
• Welch, C. & Dunbar, S. (2020). Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, Reading, Grades 3-11. (Vols. 20). Iowa City, IA: University of Iowa.
• Welch, C. & Dunbar, S. (2020). Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress, Science, Grades 5, 8 and 10. (Vols. 20). Iowa City, IA: University of Iowa.

Selected Presentations

• Welch, C. J. & Jarr, K. (2013, May) Speaking of Data: A Study of Education Practitioners’ Interpretation and Use of Assessment Results. Roundtable presented at Annual Meeting of American Education Research Association, San Francisco.
• Dunbar, S. B. & Welch, C. J. (2013, April) Tracking Growth Towards Readiness: A State's Perspective. Symposium presented at Annual Meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education, San Francisco.
• Cunningham, P., Welch, C. J. & Dunbar, S. B. (2013, April) Value-added analysis of teacher effectiveness using three different growth metrics. presented at Annual Meeting of the American Education Research Association, San Francisco.
• Cunningham, P. & Welch, C. J. (2012, December) Value-Added Analysis of Teacher Effectiveness Using Three Different Growth Metrics. Poster presented at Annual Meeting of the Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association, Iowa City.
• Jarr, K. & Welch, C. J. (2012, December) Practitioners’ Interpretation and Use of Assessment Results. Poster presented at Annual Meeting of the Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association, Iowa City.
• Kapoor, S., Tudor, J., Welch, C. J. & Dunbar, S. B. (2012, April) Mapping the NAEP Performance Levels onto the Standard Score Scale of the Iowa Assessment.. Poster presented at Annual meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education, Vancouver.
• Welch, C. J., Wang, M. & Chen, K. (2012, April) Evaluation of college readiness for English language learners, Hispanic and Asian Students. Paper presented at Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association, Vancouver.
• LaFond, L., Banks, K. & Welch, C. J. (2012, April) Exploring Gender Differential Bundle Functioning in an Algebra Readiness Assessment.. Poster presented at Annual Meeting of the National Council on Measurement in Education, Vancouver.
• Welch, C. J., Wang, M. & Chen, K. (2011, December) Evaluating College Readiness for English Language Learners, Hispanic and Asian Students. Paper presented at Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association Annual Conference, Ames, Iowa.
• Welch, C. J., FIna, A. & Dunbar, S. B. (2011, December) College-Readiness on the Iowa Assessments: Do Gender Differences Exist?. Poster presented at Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association Annual Meeting, Ames, Iowa.
• Tudor, J., Kapoor, S., Dunbar, S. B. & Welch, C. J. (2011, December) Mapping the NAEP Performance Levels onto the Standard Score Scale of Iowa Assessments. Poster presented at Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association Annual Meeting, Ames, Iowa.
• Dunbar, S. B. & Welch, C. J. (2011, December) New Iowa Assessments: Using Data to Make Informed Decisions. presented at Annual Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association Conference, Ames, Iowa.
• Cunningham, P., Adams, W., Welch, C. J. & Fina, A. (2011, April) Impact of end-of-course tests on accountability decisions in mathematics and science.. Paper presented at National Council on Measurement in Education, New Orleans.
• Kapoor, S. & Welch, C. J. (2011, April) Comparability of paper and computer administrations in terms of proficiency interpretations. Paper presented at National Council on Measurement in Education, New Orleans.
• Jarr, K. & Welch, C. J. (2011, April) Content and response process validity evidence: relationships between prewriting strategies and performance on timed writing assessments. Poster presented at National Council on Measurement in Education, New Orleans.
• Hembry, I. & Welch, C. J. (2011, April) A generalizability analysis for an alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards. Paper presented at American Educational Research Association, New Orleans.
• Welch, C. J. & Dunbar, S. B. (2011, April) K-12 assessments and college readiness: necessary validity evidence for educators, teachers, and parents. Symposium presented at National Council on Measurement in Education, New Orleans.
• Welch, C. J., Rankin, A. & Jarr, K. (2011, April) Beyond assessment: scoring of standardized assessments as professional development for teachers. Poster presented at American Educational Research Association, New Orleans.
• Furgol, K., Fina, A. & Welch, C. J. (2011, April) Establishing Validity Evidence to Assess College Readiness through a Vertical Scale. Roundtable presented at Annual Meeting of American Educational Research Association, New Orleans.
• Welch, C. J. & Dunbar, S. B. (2010, December) Using the Iowa Assessments to Measurement Growth. presented at Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association Annual Conference, Cedar Falls, Iowa.
• Welch, C. J. (2010, June) Understanding the population eligible for the AA-MAS and applying that knowledge to test design. Symposium presented at National Conference on Student Assessment, Detroit.
• Hembry, I. & Welch, C. J. (2010, May) Effects of item modifications on alternate assessments based on modified achievement standards (AA-MAS) populations. Paper presented at National Council on Measurement in Education, Denver.
• Dunbar, S. B. & Welch, C. J. (2010, May) Developing items and assembling test forms for the alternate assessment based on modified achievement standards. Symposium presented at American Educational Research Association, Denver.
• Welch, C. J. (2010, February) Development , coordination and support of state assessment collaboratives: roles and responsibilities of researcher, policymakers and publishers. Symposium presented at Association of Test Publishers, Orlando.
• Dunbar, S. B. & Welch, C. J. (2009, December) Balanced Assessment at the Core. presented at 2009 Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association Annual Conference, Ames, Iowa.
• Swartz, R., Dunbar, S. B. & Welch, C. J. (2009, June) A next generation of automated scoring: product definition and usability for K-12 applications. Symposium presented at Association of Test Publishers, Palm Springs.
• Dunbar, S. B. & Welch, C. J. (2008, March) The Iowa Tests and Growth: A Fresh Approach to State Assessment. Symposium presented at Association of Test Publishers, Dallas.
• Welch, C. J. (2008, March) Future directions in the field of educational measurement. Panel presented at National Council on Measurement in Education, New York City.
• Welch, C. J. (2008, March) Alignment and augmentation issues in off-the-shelf tests and NCLB. Symposium presented at National Council on Measurement in Education, New York City.
• Schmeiser, C. & Welch, C. J. (2007, April) Educational Measurement, 4th Edition, Invited Symposium -- Test Development. Symposium presented at National Council on Measurement in Education, Chicago.
• Colton, D., Gao, X. & Welch, C. J. (2007, April) Operational results from the ACT Writing Tests. Paper presented at National Council on Measurement in Education, Chicago.