Educational Assessment Measures

Types of Assessments

In order to help students learn and achieve outcomes that prepare them for life after they leave school, education professionals typically conduct four types of assessment. When undertaking these assessments they tend to use either norm-referenced tests or standards-referenced tests, which are sometimes called criterion-referenced tests. Norm-referenced tests are standardized, designed, validated, and implemented to rank a student’s performance by comparing that performance to the performance of that student’s peers. Achievement tests, such as the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement—II, are examples of norm-referenced tests. Standards-referenced tests are designed, validated, and implemented to compare a student’s performance to specific standards. Students are said to have met or not met the standards. Sign language proficiency assessments, such as the American Sign Language Proficiency Assessment (ASL-PA), are examples of standards-referenced tests.

There are four different types of student assessments. Screening assessments are used early in the school year so that students who are at risk for experiencing academic difficulties can be identified and additional instruction can be provided. Professionals use screening assessments to [Page 380]answer questions such as: Which students are likely to experience academic difficulties now and in the future? Which students will need additional instruction to meet their academic goals? Examples of screening assessments include Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ), Battelle Developmental Inventory Screening Test, and Stages of Literacy Development Checklist.

Progress monitoring assessments are used to determine if students are making adequate progress toward meeting their grade-level outcomes. If students are not making sufficient progress, educators can use the data to make adjustments to the instruction that students receive in an effort to get them back on track. Professionals use progress monitoring assessments to answer questions such as: Are individual students on track for meeting end-of-year goals? Is instruction working? Is the instruction being provided enabling students to make sufficient progress? Examples of progress monitoring assessments include AIMSweb (Academic Information Management System), Edcheckup, and the Qualitative Reading Inventory—5.

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