A balanced assessment system is a core component of a well-rounded instructional program that serves all students. A balanced assessment system effectively measures the depth and breadth of student learning and monitors student progress towards college and career readiness. It also produces actionable data that informs planning for instruction, academic supports, and resource allocation at all levels. To meet these goals, a balanced assessment system must include multiple measures and be responsive to the needs of all students.

A Balanced Assessment System

Adapted from CPS Assessment Framework

Key to designing a balanced assessment system that supports the instructional core is the use of multiple measures. A single style of assessment or a single point in time measure is insufficient to truly gauge the depth and breadth of student understanding. A complete overview of the D97 assessment schedule is linked above. Note that formative assessments are occurring all the time in this model. Those assessments can include in-the-moment checks for understanding, exit tickets, etc. The bulk of assessments in a balanced assessment are formative, whether they are at the classroom or team level.

Measure

Frequency

Most relevant to

Types of information

Examples

Formative

Daily, weekly

Teachers, students, families

Mastery of specific skills and knowledge and mastery of conceptual understanding, for both content and use of academic language

Can also include diagnostic assessments for students screened as needing intervention and progress monitoring toward grade-level skills

Checks for understanding, do nows, exit tickets, quizzes, writing assignments, observations, discussions, running records, or other curriculum-based measures

Summative

Unit, monthly

Teacher teams, Building Leadership Teams (BLTs)

Mastery of larger chunks of instruction

Curriculum unit tests

Benchmark

Three times a year (Fall, Winter, Spring)

Teacher teams, BLTs, District content/PD supports

Mastery towards pre-defined criteria, norm-referenced

STAR, FastBridge

Summative – State-Mandated

Yearly

All stakeholders

Mastery of the range of learning expectations for the entire year, norm-referenced

IAR, ISA, DLM, ACCESS