Resource Hub
Explore guides, research papers, policy briefs, and tools to aid decisions on standards and assessments.
Formative Assessment: Caveat Emptor
This article reviews formative assessment research focusing on features that help to explain how formative assessment works to improve learning. The article offers criteria to clarify the distinction between formative assessment and formative program evaluation. The article proposes solutions for test developers in ensuring the integrity and efficacy of products and for state and district policymakers in enhancing teachers’ formative assessment skills.
This informative, timely article addresses the emphasis recently placed on assessments to inform classroom instructional practices, district accountability, student growth, and teacher evaluation systems.