“…1 Evaluations of differential item functioning (DIF) in constructed-response (CR) items have been fairly limited in ETS testing programs in spite of considerable research attention (Chang, Mazzeo, & Roussos, 1996;Dorans & Schmitt, 1993;Kim, Cohen, Alagoz, & Kim, 2007;Kristjansson, Aylesworth, McDowell, & Zumbo, 2005;Penfield, 2007;Penfield & Algina, 2006;Zwick, Donoghue, & Grima, 1993;Zwick, Thayer, & Mazzeo, 1997). A statement made in a study conducted more than 15 years ago is an accurate description of current CR DIF practice: "At present, ETS has no official policy for screening polytomous items for DIF" (Zwick et al, 1997, p. 1).…”