Nearly two full years into the pandemic, schools and students across the country are continuing to grapple with disruptions, which have led to missed instructional time, widened racial disparities and exacerbated behavioral health challenges. As many states begin to rethink their approach to testing during this difficult time, it will be critical that they use a holistic system of assessments to better understand students’ academic and social-emotional needs.
Despite some of the negative impacts of high-stakes state testing, well-designed assessments can be a critical and helpful tool for both teachers and students. This is especially true of predictive and informative tests that provide educators with real-time direction for what students need to learn in order to meet academic and non-academic standards and to hone essential skills. As a fifth grade teacher from 2016 to 2018, I used various assessments to develop daily lesson plans, craft student-specific learning interventions and share students’ progress with them and their families.
The above excerpt was originally published in The 74.
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