Assessment has become a “big stick” even in the middle school world. Given its prominence today, you may be re-thinking your own ideas on math assessment. The following resources offer professional insights into assessment—its purpose, its possibilities for enhancing instruction, the many ways teachers can gather evidence of student progress. The online reports and articles provide provocative material intended to launch discussion.

If you are looking for more in-depth professional development, Learning from NAEP: Professional Development Materials for Teachers of Mathematics is a manual-plus-CD (not available online) that offers activities and tools necessary to facilitate high-quality workshops.

Measuring What Counts: A Conceptual Guide for Mathematics Assessment
To achieve national goals for education, we must measure the things that really count. This online book, developed by the Mathematical Sciences Education Board, establishes crucial research-based connections between standards and assessment. Arguing for a better balance between educational and measurement concerns in mathematics assessment, it sets out three principles—related to content, learning, and equity—that can form the basis for new assessments that support national standards in mathematics education.

Framework for Classroom Assessment in Mathematics
This proposed framework, based on some 20 years of developmental research, discusses the value of classroom assessment as well as its aims, principles, and methods. An insightful report!

Will This Be on the Test?
Authors Nicole F. Ice and Wendy B. Sanchez contend that “In a very real sense, what teachers choose to put on tests helps students determine what mathematics is important, and in fact, helps shape their view of the nature of mathematics.” Teachers are encouraged to re-examine their own tests to see if these reflect their beliefs about mathematics.

Some Common Errors in Interpreting Test Scores
This article lays out a few common misconceptions among the general public related to test scores and educational research, such as thinking that all students can be at or above “grade level.”  A good article for professional discussion!

The Nation’s Report Card:  Mathematics 2005
This report presents the national and state results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in mathematics. A nationally representative sample of about 162,000 eighth-grade students nationwide participated in this 2005 assessment. The 52-page report looks at the data from several angles; for example, average scores for white, black, and Hispanic students, which were higher in 2005 than in any previous assessment year.

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