Assessment Options for States: Potential Designs With Increased Federal Flexibility | Center for Assessment This paper explores potential opportunities and risks of several kinds of assessment options that might become available with more federal flexibility.

And our publishing spree continues into April! A new paper ➡️ bit.ly/4shg0xI by @scottnh24.bsky.social and Kyla McClure explores the opportunities and risks in several kinds of assessment designs that could become available with additional federal flexibility.

Reclaiming Accountability | Center for Assessment To improve school accountability, we must confront and change the faulty assumptions that undergird the system. This paper provides a new framing.

We published FIVE new papers in March! Whew! Today we're highlighting work by Juan D'Brot and Laura Pinsonneault, ➡️ bit.ly/4v3r3xj who identify the faulty assumptions that hamper current accountability systems. Read "Reclaiming Accountability."

Artificial Intelligence and State Assessment Contracts | Center for Assessment This brief describes discusses the types of contract language necessary for states using artificial intelligence (AI) in statewide assessment systems.

We've been on a huge publishing tear lately. Have you seen our new reports? Today we're highlighting a paper ➡️ bit.ly/4dUfVMU by André A. Rupp, discussing the kinds of language states need in assessment contracts that involve AI. Take a look!

Center Presentations at NCME and AERA 2026 | Center for Assessment Check out our lineup of fascinating presentations at two of the assessment field’s big conferences, NCME and AERA.

Heading to L.A. for #NCME2026 and #AERA2026? Check out our lineup of fascinating presentations. bit.ly/4sHyEQm

Real-Time Data Shows Exactly How Students Use AI on School Technology About 20% of student interactions with AI using school technology involved problematic behaviors.

Real-Time Data Shows Exactly How Students Use AI on School Technology: About 20% of student interactions with AI using school technology involved problematic behaviors.

Testing Democracy: How Large-Scale Assessment Systems Can Support Civic Learning | Center for Assessment This paper provides guidance to support small changes that could help raise the salience of civic goals and generate data to monitor progress.

Assessment systems can be redesigned to better support the cultivation of informed and engaged citizens. In a new paper, bit.ly/3MUdjnf Laura Hamilton and Chris Brandt suggest relatively small changes that support schools’ civic goals and provide data to monitor progress toward those goals.

Assessing durable skills | Center for Assessment A large-scale test isn’t enough to measure students' durable skills. A broader view of assessment opens up a nuanced, more promising landscape.

A large-scale test isn’t enough to measure durable skills. bit.ly/4s6mUpQ ⬅️ Carla Evans argues that taking a broader view of assessing durable skills opens up a nuanced, more promising landscape, with multiple ways to gauge mastery that also recognize purpose, context and constraints.

Artificial Intelligence in Large-Scale Assessment Systems | Center for Assessment An exploration of the potential of AI, especially generative AI, in key stages of the educational assessment life cycle.

What role can AI play in the development and use of assessments? Read our new paper bit.ly/4r9uC1O by William Lorié and Nathan Dadey for an exploration of the potential of artificial intelligence at each stage of an assessment’s life cycle, from construct definition to scoring and reporting.

Academic Growth: Recommendations for the Senate HELP Committee | Center for Assessment The Center responds to the Senate HELP Committee's request for information on academic growth models.

Here's our response to the Senate HELP committee's RFI on academic growth. ➡️ bit.ly/4bZ2BWE As the leader in student growth measures, we outline recommendations for measures that are technically sound, aligned to clear purposes, and communicated in ways that support accurate interpretation and use.

Implementing Balanced Assessment Systems | Center for Assessment A practical guidebook, webinar and slides for states and districts working to implement balanced assessment systems.

Did you miss our webinar on implementing balanced assessment systems? We’ve got you! Here’s a link to the video. bit.ly/4roYkjY%E2%A... experts help you spot common threats to balanced assessment systems and walk you through concrete steps you can take to bring your system into better balance.

2026 NCME Annual Meeting Call for Proposals - Submission Deadline NCME is excited to announce that the Call for Proposals for the 2026 Annual Meeting is now availabl

We are excited to announce that the proposal submission portal for the 2026 NCME Annual Meeting is now open!

Proposals will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. PDT on Friday, September 12, 2025.

Learn more: www.ncme.org/events/event...

#NCME2026

School Choice and Accountability: Building Better Information Systems | Center for Assessment As school choice expands, families need better information. Learn how accountability and reporting systems can support informed decisions and public transparency.

Public school choice is growing, and families need good information to help them make decisions. In a new blog, ➡️ bit.ly/3ZNwdPD, Laura Hamilton and Andrew McEachin describe the features of an accountability system that supports families’ choices.

What does it take to implement more balanced assessment systems?  (Webinar) | Center for Assessment States should continue to implement high-quality school accountability systems, even if federal oversight diminishes.

Not much time left to register for our Feb. 12 webinar! Assessment systems work best when they’re well balanced. But how do you get a well-balanced system? bit.ly/3O6TMA9 ⬅️ We’ll provide practical guidance for district and school leaders. Please join us!

Math Badging in High School: Reimagining Math Education | Center for Assessment What happens when high schools adopt math badging? Our multi-state study examines benefits, challenges and lessons for reimagining math education.

What happens when states or districts reimagine high school math education? Our study examines a multi-state math-badging initiative. ➡️ bit.ly/4rbF8X3 Doctoral student Mostafa Hanafy conducted the study and writes about it in a new blog.

What does it take to implement more balanced assessment systems?  (Webinar) | Center for Assessment States should continue to implement high-quality school accountability systems, even if federal oversight diminishes.

Have you registered for our Feb. 12 webinar yet? Join us for a great discussion! Register here ▶️ bit.ly/4a0zHCV

School Climate Surveys Part 2 | Center for Assessment Several key questions arise when school leaders decide to use a climate survey to learn about students’ experiences. We explore them and offer guidance.

So you’ve decided to use a school climate survey to get more insight into students’ experiences. Great! Now you face 4 key questions. bit.ly/4qaeHQf ⬅️ In her latest blog, Laura Hamilton outlines them and explores important considerations to help you answer them.

School Climate Surveys Part 1 | Center for Assessment Education leaders have a powerful, low-cost tool at their disposal to gain insight into students’ learning experiences: school climate surveys.

Education leaders who want to improve students’ learning experiences have a powerful, low-cost tool at their disposal: surveys of school and classroom climate. bit.ly/4riETZK%E2%A... In her new blog, Laura Hamilton explains why schools should measure school climate.

Does K-12 Testing Need a Tune-Up? An upcoming webinar and a new report offer practical advice on implementing “balanced assessment,” a research-based approach designed to improve testing in K-12 education.

An upcoming webinar and a new report offer practical advice on implementing “balanced assessment,” a research-based approach designed to improve testing in K-12 education. @nciea.bsky.social bit.ly/4bgGpqF

Reflecting on 2025 and Looking Ahead to 2026 | Center for Assessment 2025 brought many challenges to K-12 education. The Center for Assessment moves into 2026 with a clear-eyed vision in changing times.

2025 was a uniquely challenging year for K-12 education. In a new blog post, ➡️ bit.ly/49eGFoL @chrisdomaleski.bsky.social reflects on last year and the clear-eyed vision we're carrying into 2026.

Happy holidays from the Center! During this holiday season, we look back with gratitude for our friends and partners and ahead with optimism for the year to come. We wish you a joyful holiday season and all the best for a bright new year.

Teachers’ Use of Classroom Assessments | Center for Assessment We studied how Chicago teachers use curriculum-embedded classroom assessments—and uncovered patterns that suggest the kinds of support that might be needed.

Chicago Public Schools created its own curriculum, Skyline, with embedded assessments, so all students could have access to high-quality curriculum. But how widely are those assessments used? bit.ly/45iWg42 ⬅️ Read this blog by Jesse Eze, one of our summer interns, who studied teachers’ use.

Want to be an intern at the Center? Check out the information we just posted for the 2026 program. ➡️ bit.ly/4pOkmfs It's a great opportunity for advanced doctoral students to work with seasoned professionals on projects with real-world implications for assessment and accountability policy.

Streamlining Accountability Systems | Center for Assessment Less is more when it comes to school accountability systems. Learn from a national leader in educational assessment concept & design.

Why do we keep adding measures to our school accountability systems? Read @scottnh24.bsky.social’s new blog, at bit.ly/4qfKGij, for an analysis, and an exploration of how we can harness the idea of subtraction to streamline these systems.

Implementing Balanced Assessment Systems: A Practical Guidebook for Districts & Schools - National Academy of Education

It's PUBLISHED!! A practical guidebook that can help schools and districts navigate their way to better-balanced assessment systems. ➡️ bit.ly/3KHEqAV Written by Carla Evans, Caroline Wylie, Erika Landl and Scott Marion and published by the National Academy of Education, it's available online, free.

Leveraging State Assessment Data | Center for Assessment More than ever, states need to leverage their data to maximize insight into student performance. Our framework paper can help.

It’s never been more important for states to be able to leverage their data to maximize insight into student performance. Our framework can help them do that. bit.ly/48M7NeD ⬅️ Read a new blog by André A. Rupp and Laura Pinsonneault for highlights and a link to the paper.

In case you missed it: Today's LinkedIn Live by Bellwether and Curriculum Associates provided great thoughts & framings on assessment! We're proud that Associate Director Carla Evans was featured. Watch the recording here: bit.ly/4phQec8

Interim Assessments: Useful Enough? | Center for Assessment Are interim assessments instructionally useful enough to warrant districts' time and money? Our study found a nuanced answer to that question.

Are interim assessments instructionally useful enough to warrant districts' investment of time and money? We found a lot of nuance in the answer to that question. bit.ly/4q9JDAu ⬅️ Read Nicolás Buchbinder's new blog to learn more.

Fair and Justice-Oriented Assessment | Center for Assessment Caroline Wylie and Margaret Heritage discuss their new book, which explores teaching and learning practices that can address opportunity gaps.

And it’s published! Check out this new book by @carolinewylie.bsky.social and Margaret Heritage. bit.ly/48skomN ⬅️ Read this Q & A with the authors that highlights key themes from the book.

Safeguards for State Assessment Systems | Center for Assessment States need safeguards to maintain strong assessment systems, in case the U.S. Department of Education can no longer enforce the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

What will states do if the U.S. Department of Education is downsized so much that it can’t enforce ESSA? bit.ly/44nnUMM ⬅️ Read Chris Domaleski's new blog, in which he outlines key safeguards states need in order to maintain strong systems of assessment.

Adaptive or Fixed-Form Assessments | Center for Assessment Deciding whether to use adaptive or fixed-form assessments depends not on what technology can do, but on what you want the system to achieve.

Should statewide summative tests be adaptive or fixed-form? It sounds like a technical decision, but it’s a philosophical one. bit.ly/3JrjgX8 ⬅️ Read @juandbrot.bsky.social's new blog. He says states should think not about what technology can do, but what they want the assessment system to achieve.