Links on Authentic Assessment and Accountability

Submitted by fairtest on August 29, 2007 - 11:55am
  • The Coalition of Essential Schools has a collection of high-quality assessments and ways to use them to achieve equity:
    http://www.ceschangelab.org/cs/clpub/view/cl_cat/29
  • May 2007 is CES "National Exhibtion Month" - for more on it, see
    http://www.essentialschools.org/pub/ces_docs/schools/nem/nem_overview.html

  • ENHANCING TEACHING AND IMPROVING LEARNING: A Proposed System of Curriculum-Based Assessment for the Chicago Public Schools by the Commission on Improving Curriculum Based Assessment.

  • North Dakota Study Group on Evaluation website contains information by and about this "diverse network of progressive educators dedicated to advocacy for useful, fair, and democratic ways to document and assess children's learning."
  • A Plan for Statewide Authentic Accountability System by the Massachusetts Coalition for Authentic Reform in Education
  • Learning Record
  • Chicago PURE's New ERA Plan for student and school assessment and accountability.
  • North Dakota Study Group www.ndsg.org has publications and an annual conference with a focus on high-quality assessment and progressive school reform.
  • The British Assessment Reform Group http://www.assessment-reform-group.org.uk has a wealth of material primarily on high-quality, teacher and classroom assessment (formative assessment, or assessment for learning), but also some research on the harmful consequences of relying on standardized tests HERE http://www.assessment-reform-group.org.uk/publications.html.
    Their Assessment for the Future (ASF) Project http://www.assessment-reform-group.org.uk/ASF.html is studying alternatives to testing and particularly the role that assessment by teachers can play in summative assessments.
  • The Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards and Student Testing (CRESST) has many materials on performance assessment. http://www.cse.ucla.edu/index3.htm
  • Rethinking Accountability Toolbox, from the Rethinking Accountability project, Annenberg Institute for School Reform: Gathered together in this Toolbox for Accountability are practical approaches or "tools" that can help gauge school and student achievement, including surveys, accountability "events" and ways to examine student work.
  • The Center on Learning, Assessment and School Structure. See Resource Manual: Assessment Reform-The Vision and the Tools, Assessment Reform Manual ,This workbook was originally created as a resource companion for attendees of the Relearning by Design sponsored conference entitled "Assessment Reform: The Vision and the Tools." It contains over 300 pages and five information-filled sections.
  • ATLAS Communities
    Founded from a partnership of the Coalition of Essential Schools, Education Development Center, Inc., Project Zero, and the Yale Child Study Center School Development Program, the ATLAS school design includes innovative approaches to curriculum and instruction, school organization, and relationships between the schools and their communities. ATLAS Communities use "tools for implementation" based on the work of their partner organizations, to guide the redesigning of their schools. Check out their "Tool Box" for assests mapping and protocols for looking at student work. They also post some great stories and articles under the section of "Impact and Accountabilty."
  • Video: Looking at Student Work: A Window into the Classroom This important and practical resource explores a variety of ways in which looking at student work can help improve teaching and learning. The video package contains a 28-minute videotape, a four-page facilitator's guide for using the tape with an audience, and a companion volume - "Looking Together at Student Work" by Tina Blythe, David Allen, and Barbara Schieffelin Powell. $61Annenberg Institute Video
  • ERIC Assessment & Evaluation Clearinghouse
    The ERIC¨Clearinghouse on Assessment and Evaluation seeks to provide 1) balanced information concerning educational assessment and 2) resources to encourage responsible test use. A huge clearing house of information and resources, research, test construction and results, etc.
  • A web tutorial and conference workshop on how to set up electronic portfolios by Dr. Helen Barrett, University of Alaska is available at http://www.electronicportfolios.com
  • A variety of articles on assessment of mixed quality, some good material on classroom assessment focusing on math and science.

    • More than 1000 four-year colleges and universities do not use the SAT or ACT to admit substantial numbers of bachelor-degree applicants.

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    Find out why and how schools go "Test Optional."

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