Comprehensive Statewide Assessment Systems: A Framework for the Role of the State Education Agency in Improving Quality and Reducing Burden
The purpose of this resource from CCSSO is to support and guide state leaders as they determine how to move their states towards a comprehensive, high-quality assessment system. The resource provides key considerations on the state’s role and ways to review and evaluate its current state assessment systems. Key actions for state leaders to consider when reviewing their assessment systems include:
define the goal and determine the state’s role;
get the facts;
involve the community;
move from data collection to evaluation;
make recommendations and implement them; and
communicate early and often.
Throughout this resource, state efforts towards high-quality assessments are highlighted for each key action step.
This guidance document is very useful in helping state leaders “assess their assessments.” The resource is based on a set of principles first published in the Commitments on High-Quality Assessments, which was jointly published by CCSSO and the Council of Great City Schools. The principles are that assessments should be (1) high-quality, (2) part of a coherent system, and (3) meaningful. The purpose of this resource is to operationalize these three principles for state and district leaders. The resource does this by providing detailed guidance with real examples from several states for every step. Additionally, links to relevant resources (e.g., state documents and other CCSSO resources) are provided. By using this resource, state leaders can review their assessment systems to determine opportunities for increasing quality and coherence and reducing redundant assessments.