Title: Exam difficulty: intended and unintended consequences
Abstract: Lower secondary diplomas in Norway include written exam results in a subject determined by a lottery draw. Between 2009 and 2015, students randomly assigned to mathematics exams experienced a decrease in average achievement of 0.55 points (0.44 standard deviations), causing concerns among education stakeholders. In 2016, based on an external evaluation of the content, structure, and difficulty of previous mathematics exams, the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training implemented changes to the mathematics exam format. This study presents preliminary results using quasi-experimental designs to examine the potential intended and unintended consequences of these changes on student outcomes.