Fueled by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and its focus on standardized testing, the U.S. assessment system has been driven by capitalism rather than educational benefit. Annually, the testing industry, which four companies monopolize, is valued at between $400 and $700 million. The testing industry drives Americans to spend $13.1 billion each…

This book discusses and highlights portfolios as an alternative assessment practice in the classroom. Chapters in the book address such topics as aspects of portfolios beyond a collection of student work; what to consider when evaluating portfolios; the different types and purposes of student portfolios; issues involving management and ownership…

This book provides practitioners with an introduction to alternative assessment that is comprehensive, practical, and to the degree allowed by the printed page, interactive. Theoretical and practical aspects of assessment are discussed in a way that suggests the process-oriented nature of alternative assessment rather than a fixed end point.…

This book is intended for teachers who currently use (or are planning to use) a hands-on science curriculum. In addition, it would be useful to pre-service teachers, graduate students in education, and other educators interested in alternative forms of assessment. It offers teachers and other educators an opportunity to learn about performance…

Predicated on a belief that assessment and evaluation should be vital, planned aspects of the curriculum, this booklet describes classroom-based assessment that serves to inform teachers, students, and parents of the learner's growth as well as to suggest next-step instructional goals. Procedures developed by classroom teachers which integrate…

Continuing to respond to the increasing demand for the assessment of authentic language use, this book emphasizes that portfolios must first be useful and successful as part of instruction before they can be used effectively for assessment. Portfolios are presented as "working," not "show" portfolios, to promote the student's involvement in…

Discusses how one teacher encouraged students to communicate mathematically when discussing the lyrics to the song "Billy Boy." Students' problem solving was assessed by means of classroom discussion. (MKR)

A tear-out folder provides information on alternative student assessment versus standardized testing, describing what alternative assessments do and do not consist of and involve. Information on student assessment statewide and nationwide is presented along with a discussion of the costs of alternative assessment. All information is presented in…

One of a series of educational packages designed for implementation either in a workshop atmosphere or through individual study, this Hot Topic guide presents a variety of materials designed to assist educators in designing and implementing classroom projects and activities centering on the topic of standardized and alternative assessment. The Hot…

Noting that issues of assessing and evaluating learning and teaching have become a dominant concern in recent years, this book describes the journey of a group of classroom teachers, administrators, and researchers as they addressed the issues of evaluation and assessment. The book details the results of a collaborative project undertaken in…

This Toolkit is a guide to assessing student achievement and making students partners in the educational enterprise by clearly defining expectations for performance and letting students in on them. It is essentially about performance-based instruction and the role of student assessment in guiding and invigorating practice. This volume, Volume I,…

This handbook addresses the complex and expanding vocabulary of performance assessment and measurement by providing a glossary of related terms and lists of resources for the student, practitioner, and policymaker. Performance assessment includes all forms of such assessment from multiple choice and paper-and-pencil tests to alternative…

This publication is designed to help Illinois social science teachers assess their students' learning using a variety of methods. The guide includes a rubric for scoring site-based alternative assessment activities, a rationale for the rubric, and sample activities to differentiate students' knowledge, reasoning, and communication skills. The…

Designed to provide practical information for all elementary teachers, whether they are just getting started, getting comfortable, or fine-tuning their assessment program, this book examines manageable and practical ways to collect information about young learners. It presents the voices of many elementary teachers at various grade levels…

The limitations of standardized tests of reading ability in young children are examined and authentic assessment alternatives, including multiple measures of student learning and the close interaction of assessment and teaching, are identified. Examples of authentic classroom assessments are detailed for emergent readers, beginning readers, and…