Validating the use of student‐level instruments to examine preservice teachers' mathematical problem solving

Abstract Problem solving is a central focus of mathematics teaching and learning. If teachers are expected to support students' problem‐solving development, then it reasons that teachers should also be able to solve problems aligned to grade level content standards. The purpose of this validation study is twofold: (1) to present evidence supporting the use of the Problem Solving Measures Grades 3–5 with preservice teachers (PSTs), and (2) to examine PSTs' abilities to solve problems aligned to grades 3–5 academic content standards. This study used Rasch measurement techniques to support psychometric analysis of the Problem Solving Measures when used with PSTs. Results indicate the Problem Solving Measures are appropriate for use with PSTs, and PSTs' performance on the Problem Solving Measures differed between first‐year PSTs and end‐of‐program PSTs. Implications include program evaluation and the potential benefits of using K‐12 student‐level assessments as measures of PSTs' content knowledge.