Not as Easy as It Sounds: Designing a Balanced Assessment System
This document provides guidance for states that are building, evaluating, or modifying their assessment systems. The report offers three criteria to consider: coherence, a theory of action, and efficiency. The authors state that these criteria were selected after reviewing literature on educational assessment systems, and have been utilized in their work with state and district leaders.
This succinct paper provides guidelines on important considerations necessary to develop or revise assessment systems so they are balanced and meet intended uses. At a time when states are considering changes in accountability and local decisions relative to assessments, having a clear understanding of the best way to go about making adjustments or building new systems is critical. The use of a visual example of one theory of action helps clarify the value of this criterion that is noted along with the need for system coherence and efficiency.