Assessment Reform

Introduction

Educational reform has brought about a major emphasis on the evaluation and assessment practices of schools. The need for education reform has forced educational leaders on the national, state, district, and local levels to really think about best teaching practices, accountable schools, and consistent learning gains for all students. Stiggins and Chappuis (2012) posited that assessments are administered to gather data about student achievement that will help educators make appropriate instructional decisions that will enhance learning and to motivate students by making sure that they are informed about their learning achievement. This paper will look at the historical relationship between assessment practices and educational reform and how assessment practices could influence future reform efforts.

History of Assessment and Evaluation

Earl (2003) indicates, “formal and informal assessment of learning has been around for centuries” (p. 5). She also notes that industrialization and universal schooling created a need for schools to evaluate student achievement (Earl, 2003, p. 5). Students were even able to learn trades while attending school. The industrial revolution helped to bring about the concept of universal education because of the large number of immigrants from many countries and cultures. During these times, classroom tests and final examinations were used to determine whether or not students would be able to advance to the next grade level. In the past, students received a basic education and higher education was scarce and afforded to only a few.

In the middle of the century, various groups of people began to demand social equality and the schools were the center focus of this social mobility. These schools categorized students based on predictions about the future success of the students. Educational leaders and schools of this time used assessment of achievement to sort students to determine which students would receive an advanced education. Mental, scientific, and objective mechanisms were used to measure student achievement to grant individuals entrance into and exiting from higher education programs. Although beliefs about assessment have changed over time, the fact that assessment in schools serves a summative role that has the potential to place students in intensive, regular, or advanced courses and determine life choices for the individuals is still the same.

Role of Assessment in Educational Reform

In 2001, Congress reauthorized the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in an effort to align all reform initiatives with the mandate to improve achievement results for all students. As a result, nearly all states have implemented some type of framework for guiding local school authorities with the process of curriculum development that focuses

on bringing about