Instructionally Relevant Assessment Systems: What Is the Role of Performance Assessments?
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| Title: | Instructionally Relevant Assessment Systems: What Is the Role of Performance Assessments? |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Aneesha Badrinarayan, Learning Policy Institute |
| Source: | Learning Policy Institute. 2025. |
| Availability: | Learning Policy Institute. 1530 Page Mill Road Suite 200, Palo Alto, CA 94304. Tel: 650-332-9797; e-mail: info@learningpolicyinstitute.org; Web site: https://learningpolicyinstitute.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 56 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | Carnegie Corporation of New York Chan Zuckerberg Initiative William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Walton Family Foundation |
| Document Type: | Reports - Descriptive |
| Education Level: | Elementary Secondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Measurement, Student Evaluation, Evaluation Methods, Relevance (Education), Test Construction, Scoring Rubrics, Performance Based Assessment, Elementary Secondary Education |
| Geographic Terms: | Massachusetts, New York, Washington |
| Abstract: | Since the rise of state assessments whose primary function is to yield scores that can be used to compare schools and groups of students, most states have developed their state assessment programs under the assumption that either: (a) state tests are not intended to meaningfully shape instruction, or (b), if they are, the information provided in score reports is sufficient to support instruction. Indeed, the prevailing guidance about large-scale assessments is that they should serve a program monitoring role and not be used to guide instruction. This approach reflects sound reasoning. It is hard for an external, efficient, infrequent assessment to play a meaningful role in guiding instruction, and many measurement experts suggest that state assessments should be supplemented by other supports, closer to the classroom, to provide real instructional support. While these recommendations to keep the summative assessment separate from instruction might reflect some conceptions of best practice, they unfortunately do not reflect real practice. Many state leaders are reconsidering their approach to assessment programs. Instead of designing assessment systems under the assumption that state assessments are not influencing teaching and learning--or that those influences are an unfortunate "cost of doing business"--state leaders are asking: If we know teachers and local leaders take cues from state-provided assessments, how can we create instructionally relevant assessments that incentivize shifts toward better teaching and learning? |
| Abstractor: | ERIC |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | ED674735 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Since the rise of state assessments whose primary function is to yield scores that can be used to compare schools and groups of students, most states have developed their state assessment programs under the assumption that either: (a) state tests are not intended to meaningfully shape instruction, or (b), if they are, the information provided in score reports is sufficient to support instruction. Indeed, the prevailing guidance about large-scale assessments is that they should serve a program monitoring role and not be used to guide instruction. This approach reflects sound reasoning. It is hard for an external, efficient, infrequent assessment to play a meaningful role in guiding instruction, and many measurement experts suggest that state assessments should be supplemented by other supports, closer to the classroom, to provide real instructional support. While these recommendations to keep the summative assessment separate from instruction might reflect some conceptions of best practice, they unfortunately do not reflect real practice. Many state leaders are reconsidering their approach to assessment programs. Instead of designing assessment systems under the assumption that state assessments are not influencing teaching and learning--or that those influences are an unfortunate "cost of doing business"--state leaders are asking: If we know teachers and local leaders take cues from state-provided assessments, how can we create instructionally relevant assessments that incentivize shifts toward better teaching and learning? |
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