Which assessment method is used primarily to compare student performance to one another?

The method used primarily to compare student performance to one another is norm-referenced assessment. This type of assessment is designed to evaluate a student's performance in relation to a group or standard, which is typically made up of a representative sample of the population. This allows educators to determine how an individual student ranks compared to their peers, helping to identify relative strengths and weaknesses among students.

Norm-referenced assessments are often standardized tests that yield results indicating where a student stands in comparison to others. For example, if a student scores at the 75th percentile, this indicates that they performed better than 75% of the students who took the same test. This approach is particularly useful in identifying students who may require additional support or those who are excelling.

In contrast, criterion-referenced assessments focus on whether or not students meet specific learning criteria or standards, without comparing individual scores to those of their peers. Progress monitoring assessments are employed to track student progress over time against specific goals, while formative assessments are used primarily to inform instruction and support learning during the educational process rather than for comparing students to one another.

Thus, norm-referenced assessments are specifically designed for comparative analysis, making them the correct choice for this question.