Assessment Approach

• Assessment is a fundamental, critical aspect of the teaching and learning process in a standards-based system.

• An assessment is simply a way to gather information (data) about what students know and are able to do.

• An assessment system must be appropriately balanced and aligned.

• There should be an appropriate amount of focus on every level of the assessment system.

• The assessments that have the greatest potential to positively impact student achievement and growth are standards-based and provide formative data at the schoolwide and classroom levels.

• Assessments are used to provide data, which must then be analyzed for a given purpose.

• Assessment data serve a variety of purposes ranging from informing federal and state accountability to a teacher making decisions about what to do next in a lesson.

• The most important user of assessment data is the student.

• Professional development supports are necessary for developing quality assessments that inform ongoing instruction.

• Professional development supports are necessary for analyzing and utilizing assessment data.

Purpose of a Balanced Assessment System

A balanced assessment system is necessary to gather information about the growth of students; measure their achievement; gauge the effectiveness of curriculum, programs, and instructional planning; and then provide feedback to the district and stakeholders including staff, parents, students and the community.