Student assessment is really about improving student learning. We test because we need answers, answers to crucial questions that will guide instruction, planning, placement, and intervention:
- Is the student responding well to intervention?
- Is she catching up to her peers?
- Do we need to try something different?
- Are all students being challenged and making expected progress?
Good assessments will guide us in what we do next. Unfortunately, assessments sometimes fail to deliver the feedback we need, especially for struggling learners. One of the most common culprits of this pitfall is surprisingly simple.