Why were item sets used instead of using basal and discontinue rules?

Frequently Asked Question:

Why were item sets used instead of using basal and discontinue rules?

Answer:

The Reading Comprehension subtest was created using item sets that were designed to assess an adequate sample of the student's reading achievement, while attempting to minimize the number of reading passages required. The improved scoring procedures for the Reading Comprehension subtest take into account the difficulty level of the item sets, so it is not necessary to administer additional items to get a more accurate score. However, the examiner can decide whether to administer more items as a way of "testing the limits" in order to gain further qualitative information (for item analysis, for example). These additional item scores should not be used for normative purposes.