What is meant by the 'ceiling effect' in assessment?

The 'ceiling effect' in assessment refers to a situation in which a test is too easy for certain students, particularly those who are more advanced or talented. This phenomenon occurs when students achieve maximum scores on assessments that do not have adequate upper-level content to evaluate their higher-order thinking or skills. As a result, these students may not demonstrate their true capabilities or the extent of their knowledge because the assessment does not provide the necessary range of questions that could challenge them.

When a talented student takes a pretest, and the test does not include sufficiently difficult items, the scores attained may inaccurately reflect their growth and potential, since they can score highly without fully engaging with more challenging material. This ceiling on performance limits the ability to measure improvement over time effectively, indicating that option B correctly captures the essence of the ceiling effect.