You Can Get the Accountability System You Want (Part 2)
States complain that ESSA bars them from getting the accountability systems they really want. We present three examples of systems that show otherwise.
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Peer Review: Can Emerging Programs Meet the Requirements?
Through-year and other novel test designs face challenges in peer review. Three changes by the U.S. Department of Education could improve the process.
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Ethical Thinking as a 21st Century Skill
Like other 21st century skills, ethical thinking presents substantial challenges to educators who want to define, teach, and assess it.
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Assessing Students’ Creative Thinking
Guidance on defining and assessing creative thinking, a skill that’s increasingly in demand among employers.
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A Flawed Approach to Supporting Teacher Learning: ‘Cruel Optimism’
In this TikTok era, we break teachers’ learning into bite-sized pieces and expect them to learn on their own. But we accept this model at our peril.
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Designing Inclusive K-12 Assessments
“Failing to plan is planning to fail.” That’s particularly true when it comes to building assessments that are inclusive of students with disabilities.
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Assessment Guidance for Portraits of Learners
An exploration of key considerations, and a framework, for exhibitions of learning.
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A Call for Extending Open Access in K-12 Education
We must share our knowledge broadly, free of charge, without restriction, to support an important public good: improving outcomes for all students.
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The Future of Assessment in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
Google’s recent release of Gemini showcases AI’s potential to reshape educational assessment. We must be open to these changes, while monitoring and managing their risks.
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Issues That Loom Large for K-12 Assessment and Accountability:
2023 was a busy year for assessment and accountability. Scott Marion recaps the year’s key issues and looks ahead to questions that loom large for 2024.
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Threats to the Validity of Accountability Systems, Part 3:
In this three-part series, we explore key aspects of system design that need to be properly balanced. In this last post, we explore formative vs. summative feedback.
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Threats to the Validity of Accountability Systems, Part 2:
In this three-part series, we explore key aspects of school accountability design that need to be properly balanced. In Part 2, we examine precision vs. actionability.
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Threats to the Validity of Accountability Systems, Part 1:
In this three-part series, we explore key aspects of school accountability design that need to be properly balanced. In Part 1, we examine simplicity vs. complexity.
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How Test Prep Works Against the Spirit of Formative Assessment
The pressure of external tests can lead teachers to use formative assessment as test preparation. Here’s how to protect this important classroom practice.
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You Can Get the Accountability System You Want (Part 1)
States can have the school accountability systems they value by minimizing the footprint of the Every Student Succeeds Act.
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Do We Really Need to Test All Students Every Year?
We can reduce testing in schools without sacrificing meaningful annual reports on students’ learning.
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Three Common Misconceptions About State Assessments
Experts shed light on key aspects of state testing: comparability, proficiency, and instructional utility.
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Can We Reduce Testing in K-12 Schools?
State testing has long been criticized for many reasons. We undertook a study to examine what tradeoffs might be necessary to reduce the footprint of state testing. Here’s a preview of our early findings.
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