Carolina Safar is an assessment specialist II with expertise in K–12 science education and assessment in the ETS Research Institute. She is a part of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Science team, where she develops and reviews multidimensional phenomena and problem based science items for the first pilot and operational assessment of the new 2028 NAEP Science Assessment Framework. Her work includes training item writers, leading teams of support staff in reviewing and revising items, developing framework clarifications documents, supporting operational scoring, and collaborating with cross functional partners to strengthen item quality and accessibility across development stages. Carolina also contributes to emerging innovation efforts at ETS by collaborating with AI development teams to encode science framework components into an internal AI supported item generation tool and evaluate its effectiveness in producing framework aligned science content. Carolina holds an Ed.M. in biological science education and a B.S. in animal science both from Rutgers University. She holds a K–12 supervisor certificate from Seton Hall University and is a certified K–12 teacher of biological science.
Prior to joining ETS, Carolina worked on a science advisory committee reviewing and supporting the development of New Jersey’s state science assessment (NJSLA-S) while also teaching middle school science and ESL science. With over 12 years of experience as a science teacher, Carolina brings a learner centered mindset and a deep understanding of applied curriculum, equity, and scientific thinking to her role. As a native Spanish speaker who personally navigated English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, Carolina focuses on developing assessments that reflect diverse learners’ experiences and offer all students meaningful ways to demonstrate what they know. Her work on NAEP Science blends this personal commitment with strong technical practice in developing high quality items, interpreting and clarifying frameworks, collaborating with cross functional partners, and supporting innovative, accessible approaches to science assessment.
Last updated: 1/28/2026