Student Assessment Inventory for School Districts: Guidance for School Districts

Wednesday, August 5, 2015Printer-friendly version

In 2014, Achieve developed the Student Assessment Inventory for School Districts, a tool district leaders can use to take stock of their assessments and assessment strategy and do so from a student perspective. The tool supports a process by which districts evaluate the assessments students are taking; determine the minimum testing necessary to serve essential diagnostic, instructional, and accountability purposes; and work to ensure that every district-mandated test is of high quality, is providing the information needed for specific school and district purposes, and can support structures and routines so that assessment results are actually used and action steps taken that will help students. Districts should consider a number of important issues asthey move through the inventory process.

The purpose of this document is to provide additional guidance and key questions to assistdistrict and community leaders — superintendents, assessment and curriculum leads, teacher leaders, school board members, and local advocates — in ensuring that their district’s assessment inventory process is meaningful and actionable. This guidance is organized by stages of the assessment inventory process: Reflect and Plan, Conducting and Analyzing the Inventory, and Making Recommendations. An additional section, Communications and Messaging, provides guidance on communicating and transparency throughout the inventory process.