An Overview of Assessment

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• An Overview of Assessment

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What is assessment?
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What is assessment?

• Assessment is the process of collecting data for
  the purposes of making decisions about students.
• (Salvia Ysseldyke, 1995, p. 5)

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What is assessment?

• Assessment is the systematic process of
  gathering educationally relevant information to
  make legal and instructional decisions
• Is an ongoing process
• Is systematic
• Focuses on educationally relevant information
• (McLouglin Lewis, 2001, p. 4)

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• Why do we assess students?

Rudner Schafer, 2002, pp. 1-6
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Why do we assess students?

• 1. To have a tool at the beginning of the school
  year that..
• gives teachers an opportunity to get to know
  their students
• instructionally
• behaviorally
• preferences
• allows new teachers to gain an understanding of
  school system requirements
• (see Rudman, 1989 Ruder Schafer, 2002, pp.
  1-2)

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Why do we assess students?

• 2. To provide initial instructional placement
  (grouping) of students

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Why do we assess students?

• 3. To determine what students know from multiple
  sources that
• allows for triangulation (corroboration) of data
• quizzes
• observations
• standardized tests of achievement
• teacher-made tests, etc.

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Why do we assess students?

• 4. To determine the pace of instruction that
• determines where students are currently
  performing
• determines how fast students complete a given
  task

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Why do we assess students?

• 5. To assist with promotion and retention
  decisions that
• allows for multiple sources to be used in the
  decision making process
• provides a clearer understanding of student needs

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Why do we assess students?

• 6. To share student progress with stakeholders
  that
• provides data to
• parents
• administrators
• boards of education
• general public

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Why do we assess students?

• 7. To determine the effectiveness of instruction
  that
• allows for teacher effectiveness on multiple
  levels
• district
• building
• classroom