CT-7400: Assessment Practices

Aslihan Unal, & Zafer Unal. (2019). An examination of K-12 teachers’ assessment beliefs and practices in relation to years of teaching experience. Georgia Educational Researcher, 16(1).
Read pages 4-13. This study provides an overview of the different uses and purposes of assessment and how teachers view each. The results show teachers have different perspectives on assessment based on their years of experience in the classroom.

Laveault, D., & Allal, L. (2016). Implementing assessment for learning: Theoretical and practical issues. In D. Laveault & L. Allal (Eds.), Assessment for learning: Meeting the challenge and implementation (pp. 1-18). Springer.
Read Chapter 1. This chapter provides a good overview of the three purposes of student learning (assessment of learning vs. assessment for student learning vs. assessment as learning) and how educators can think of each in different contexts.

Adler-Greene, L. (2019). Every Student Succeeds Act: Are schools making sure every student succeeds? Touro Law Review, 35(1), 11-23.
This article provides a brief history of the implementation and consequences of No Child Left Behind and the transition to Every Student Succeeds and the Common Core standards. The author compares the two and discusses the unintended consequences of both for specific student populations.

How do you assess school quality? (2019). Phi Delta Kappan, 101(1), K9-K10, 1-3.
This quick read presents data about the data parents use to assess school quality and how they perceive their children’s education. While the results vary by racial/ethnic groups, the vast majority of parents base their perceptions of school quality on report cards and standardized test results.

White, K. (2017). Softening the edges: Assessment practices that honor K-12 teachers and learners. Solution Tree Press.
Read the Introduction (pp. 1-9) and Chapter 1: Assessment and the Whole Person (pp. 1-27). The author introduces a balanced approach to assessment, advocating that educators should think more holistically about learners. Assessment doesn’t have to be simply about achievement. The author introduces the reader to thinking about assessment from a different mindset and how to use softer language.

Poda, J. (2019). What does “evidence-based” mean, according to ESSA? Learning Professional, 40(1), 12-14.
This short article provides an overview of some of the flexibility of ESSA when it comes to determining evidence and the quality of evidence to demonstrate learning.