In recent years, students have been required to take more standardized tests than ever before. In an effort to make schools accountable for learning, state and federal legislation has embraced standardized assessment as the most important indicator of student achievement. While standardized tests provide one measure of student performance, other forms of assessment are needed to create a full picture of student learning. NCTE is committed to the development and use of multiple assessment strategies that are fully integrated into instruction. Thorough, site-specific approaches to assessment can most accurately inform parents, teachers, and policymakers about student achievement. The research, policy statements, and information collected here emphasize the value of multiple ways to assess student learning. Here you can learn about the unique challenges presented by assessment, how testing policies impact schools and students, and what research tells us about effective assessment.
Interested in assessment of multimodal texts? Watch this video from the NCTE 21st Century Literacies Summer Institute to see Michael Neal describe special considerations when assessing these types of projects. .