Center for Standards, Assessment, and Accountability

Grade Level: Elementary School (K-5)

Opt Out: An Examination of Issues

During the past few years, media reports have highlighted an increase in the number of parents who are opting their children out of annual state tests, often called the opt-out movement. In this paper, researcher Randy Bennett examines issues related to the movement including: the amount of time that students spend taking tests, the number and types […]

Teaching Content to English Learners in the Era of the Common Core Standards

What are instructional implications for College and Career Ready Standards, such as the Common Core, on English learners (ELs) and their teachers? This question is addressed in an essay by researchers from ETS. R&D Connections, a publication series from ETS Research & Development, examines research conducted by ETS scientists and is written in nontechnical language. […]

Assessment System Design Options for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Reflections on Some Possible Design Approaches

The need for a comprehensive and cohesive system of assessments, to effectively support implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), has been recommended and emphasized. This paper provides a thoughtful analysis of high-level designs for a system of assessments to effectively support the NGSS. Policymakers will find this paper informative, as it includes a […]

Designing NGSS Assessments to Evaluate the Efficacy of Curriculum Interventions

In this paper, the authors present an approach to designing assessments for the intended purpose of evaluating curriculum interventions for NGSS implementation in schools. The use of evidence-centered design (ECD) is discussed and illustrated in an example from an urban middle school in which assessment is used to evaluate science curriculum materials. Recommendations for developing […]

What Can Be Learned From Current Large-Scale Assessment Programs to Inform Assessment of the Next Generation Science Standards?

This paper discusses and explores innovations in existing large-scale assessment programs that could be used to inform efforts to assess the NGSS. The author provides an in-depth discussion of the 16 scientific and engineering practices embodied in the NRC Framework and the NGSS, and summarizes the practices’ inclusion in five large-scale assessment frameworks. Thorough examinations […]