Dive Brief:
- "Make Assessment Work for All Students: Multiple Measures Matter," a new report by the Northwest Evaluation Association, examines best practices in assessment for diverse student bodies, and concludes a primary need exists for clearer communication on the purpose and value of different assessment types, and evaluations need to be multi-faceted for success.
- 75% of students and more than 50% of parents believe students spend the right amount of time, or too little time taking assessments, a data point which contradicts reports that most parents believe too much time is spent on testing; 60% of parents also reported teachers rarely or never discussed their child’s assessment results with them.
- At the same time, more than 70% of teachers, principals and superintendents reported they felt their students spend too much time taking assessments.
Dive Insight:
Another takeaway districts should pay attention to from this new comprehensive report is the wide gap in understanding around assessment that reportedly exists between parents and school staff. According to the NWEA, most teachers, principals, and superintendents don't believe state and federal policymakers understand the purpose of different types of assessment. That highlights the need for a more engaged and transparent dialogue around the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act.
The distrust doesn't end there. Most teachers also reported they didn't think parents understood formative or interim assessment, which are used as diagnostic tools to help take the temperature of student learning and progress with the goal of refining and adjusting classroom instruction.
"Teachers mostly feel prepared to deal with all aspects of assessment tests and data," the report notes, "but they are more confident about administering these tests than interpreting them or communicating with parents about the results." That's a problem districts officials can begin to assuage with heightened professional development or school seminars.
