April L. Zenisky

April L. Zenisky is a Research Professor and Director of Computer-Based Testing Initiatives at the Center for Educational Assessment, University of Massachusetts Amherst. She specializes in psychometrics, large-scale assessment, and computer-based testing. Her work focuses on improving test designs, score reporting, and innovative item types for credentialing and educational programs. She leads projects like the Massachusetts Adult Proficiency Tests (MAPT-CCR) and has contributed to NAEP evaluations. Currently, she is the Associate Editor of the International Journal of Testing.

Education:

• B.A. in English and Psychology from Amherst College (1997)
• Ed.D. in Educational Research from University of Massachusetts Amherst (2004)

Research Interests: Dr. Zenisky’s work emphasizes practical applications of psychometric principles to real-world testing challenges, including adaptive testing paradigms, cross-cultural assessment, and actionable score reporting. She advocates for user-centric design in score reports and has pioneered methods for integrating technology into testing environments.

Lab/Team: She directs the Center for Educational Assessment, collaborating with institutions globally on large-scale assessment projects. Her team develops tools for validating test designs and improving stakeholder communication of assessment outcomes.