Which type of assessment measures a test taker's ability to perform tasks at a certain speed or quality?

The assessment that measures a test taker's ability to perform tasks at a certain speed or quality is the performance test. This type of assessment is specifically designed to evaluate a candidate's practical skills and competencies in real-world scenarios or simulations, allowing for direct observation of their execution of tasks. Performance tests are typically used in fields like firefighting and emergency response, where the ability to perform under pressure and demonstrate specific skills is crucial.

In contrast, written tests primarily assess knowledge and understanding of content through questions and answers, without direct evaluation of practical skill execution. Formative assessments focus on monitoring student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used to improve teaching and learning, but they do not specifically measure performance under timed conditions. Summative assessments are intended to evaluate a student's learning at the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against some standard or benchmark, but like written tests, they do not directly assess performance quality or speed in executing tasks. Hence, the performance test stands out as the most appropriate choice for assessing practical abilities effectively.