Abstract: Described is a system, method, and product for adaptive assessment of knowledge. One or more questions are generated by combining, for each question: an item, a correct answer, a distracter (incorrect answer), a path for the distracter, and a standard alignment for the item. The questions are stored in a question database. An item associated with a question in the database is presented. A distracter is received in response to the item. The path for the distracter is identified. One or more next questions are retrieved from the question database, and one or more next items are presented, wherein the one or more next items are associated with the path.