Policy & Research

In this paper, Suzanne Lane advocates for the use of performance assessments, which have been an integral part of educational systems in numerous countries. Research has shown that the format of the assessment affects the type of thinking and reasoning skills that are used by students, with...

This paper authored by Anders Jonsson and Gunilla Svingby, investigates whether evidence for the benefits of rubrics can be found in the research literature.

Conclusions are that:

(1) the reliable scoring of performance assessments can be enhanced by the use of rubrics, especially...

This paper by Linda Darling-Hammond and Ray Pecheone outlines a set of principles that are shared by the systems of high‐achieving nations as well as a number of high‐achieving states in the United States. These systems include the following:

• Assessments are grounded in a thoughtful,...

This paper by Linda Darling-Hammond outlines how states can achieve the goal of making high-quality assessments both affordable and feasible to implement while strengthening teaching and learning at the same time. States that seek such a system can achieve their goals by:

• Understanding...

This article authored by Linda Darling Hammond for CCSSO, outlines the criteria for a Student Assessment System, which should:

• address the depth and breadth of standards as well as all areas of the curriculum, not just those that are easy to measure.
• consider and include all
...

In this paper, Linda Darling-Hammond and other leading scholars in assessment describe a set of criteria for high-quality student assessments. These criteria can be used by assessment developers, policymakers, and educators.

The five criteria include: 

1. Assessment of Higher-Order...