Supporting Formative Assessment for Deeper Learning: A Primer for Policymakers
This primer argues that effective formative assessment is essential to successfully implementing new college- and career-ready standards. It explains what formative assessment is, how it works in practice, and why it is critically important in fostering powerful pedagogy and 21st-century...
Assessment Literacy Standards: A National Imperative
The purpose of this publication is to increase assessment literacy for policymakers, district and school administrators, teachers, and students. To do so, the authors have created assessment literacy standards for each stakeholder group. Emphasis is on maximizing assessment benefits, reducing ...
Testing Action Plan: State and District Profiles
This website page summarizes actions that several states and school districts have taken in order to reduce their amounts of testing, thereby increasing instructional time. In general, those actions include a review of the numbers and estimated time to take tests in a specific state or district,...
Ohio Testing Report and Recommendations
In response to the Ohio Governor and General Assembly 2014 request, the Ohio Department of Education conducted a survey of the number of tests administered to students with the intended goal of reducing the amount of time that students spend on test taking and test preparation activities. The...
Testing Reform Victories 2015: Growing Grassroots Movement Rolls Back Testing Overkill
As its title suggests, the authors of this publication present information related to recent changes in state and district assessment policies. Those issues include: Graduation Test Policies Test-Based Grade Retention Opting Out of Testing Public Opinion about Tests Tests for College Admissions;...
Considerations for State Leaders in the Design of School Accountability Systems under the Every Student Succeeds Act
The recently passed Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) differs significantly from its predecessor, known as the No Child Left Behind Act. The new ESSA provides only a narrow timeline for states to adjust their accountability systems. This publication provides initial guidance for this adjustment...
Illinois Assessment Literacy Training Module
This website contains a 39-page guide, Guiding Principles for Classroom Assessment, that discusses assessment design, preparation, analysis, and quality (reliability, validity, cultural diversity, and fairness). A 4.5-minute webinar, Introduction to Balanced Assessment, gives an overview of a...
Knowing the Score: The Who, What, and Why of Testing
This brief provides information about K–12 testing with the goal of helping parents, educators, policymakers, and others make decisions about testing policies in their community and state. Background information is provided, as well as answers to common questions about K–12 testing, including the...