There has been much debate over assessment strategies in the past several years. Teachers and school administrators are bombarded with a variety of tests, standards, and reform movements throughout the school year. We need to keep in mind that teaching creates the conditions for learning. Assessment establishes that student learning has occurred and helps teachers determine student needs. Assessment is more than testing.

Assessments help teachers understand and measure student achievements, but they should also help students become informed critics of their own work. Teachers and students can work together to develop assessments. By including students in the development process they should better understand the grading system.

In this era of standardized testing and accountability, it is crucial to align and embed the language of the State Academic Content Standards in all assessments. When assessment tools are aligned with the Standards and instruction, teachers are better able to help their students achieve and demonstrate their learning.

Assessment Building Blocks
A successful learning experience requires four major building blocks:

1. Standards: statements of what students should know and be able to do.
2. Assessment Task: a description of what students will do to demonstrate what they know.
3. Criteria: a set of expected behaviors, qualities or characteristics of performance that identify what the student will demonstrate in the assessment task.
4. Instruction: the techniques, methods and strategies, sequencing and resources that will result in high-quality performance of the assessment task.

The Standards are the foundation; the other three blocks work together to achieve alignment with the Standards.