Quality assessment is a process of inquiry.
It requires gathering information and setting conditions so that the classroom, school, and community become centers of inquiry where students, teachers, and other stakeholders can examine their learning—individually and collaboratively—and find ways to improve their practice.
NEW from NCTE:
Formative Assessment that Truly Informs Instruction
A Round-Up of Thoughts from the NCTE Chat on Formative Assessment
Finding Children’s Strengths: Assessment as a Thinking Process (book chapter) 
Hit the Mark with Digital Media Exit Cards,
Edutopia.org/Matt Levinson's blog, August 20, 2013
Developing Content Area Understanding through Reading and Assessment (book chapter)
Authentic Assessment in Action, Edutopia.org/Mark Wilbert's blog, April 19, 2013
Daily Assessment with Tiered Exit Cards, Teaching Channel 
"Can Classroom Assessments of Student Growth Be Credibly Used to Evaluate Teachers?" English Journal, September 2013
Making the Reading Process Visible through Performance Assessment (6-12 Strategy Guide)
Tracking and Supporting Student Learning with Kidwatching (K-8 Strategy Guide)
Close Reading: The Assessment-Instruction Connection (On Demand Web seminar)
Differentiated Assessment and Grading: Fair Isn't Always Equal (On Demand Web Seminar)
See additional On Demand Web seminars on assessment
Formative Assessment that Truly Informs Instruction
Standards for the Assessment of Reading and Writing
NCTE Framework for 21st Century Curriculum and Assessment
Framing Statements on Assessment
NCTE Position Statement on Machine Scoring