Defining and Refining Principles of Equitable Classroom Assessment

• In Event: Reconsidering Teacher Assessment Literacy: Evolving Trends and Practices in Education

Abstract

It is vital for school leaders and teachers to build capacity in effective classroom assessment practice because of impacts on student achievement, motivation, socio-emotional well-being, and life-long skills in learning (Harlen et al., 2002; National Research Council, 2001; Stiggins, 2014). This presentation will focus on how teachers’ equitable and inclusive assessment practice can ensure students’ access and participation in learning and classroom interactions that leverage their agency, prior knowledge, experiences, linguistic and social backgrounds, and community resources. We will share results of our iterative development of a 30-principle guiding framework for effective, equitable classroom assessment for teacher practice and student success (see Appendix) with the participation of 36 worldwide classroom assessment experts. Specifically, we will discuss scholars’ reactions to suggested principles of equitable assessment.

Traditional and common teaching and assessment practices (e.g., teacher centered-learning, infrequent, high-stakes assessment) may do harm to student learning, behaviors in learning, and/or motivation (Brookhart, 2004; Box et al., 2015; Harlen et al., 2002; Gilboy et al., 2015). Research demonstrates learning can be enhanced when:
● students are supported to succeed through cyclical and collaborative activity and reflection on evidence of learning.
● students feel they belong in classroom spaces, have agency, and ownership of their learning.
● students can see themselves in learning and assessment materials that are meaningful to them.
● students’ home and school communities are leveraged to create conditions for each students’ success (Andrade & Brookhart, 2020; Aronson & Laughter, 2016; Kang & Furtak, 2021; Santamaria, 2009).

In 2023, we built a framework to articulate clear and actionable guidance for teachers’ practice by reviewing wide-ranging classroom assessment and equity-centered research, along with past standards and principle-based frameworks produced by the field (e.g., AFT, NCME, NEA, 1990; DeLuca et al., 2016; Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation, 2003; Klinger et al., 2015; Shepard et al., 2020). In our initial iteration of a Delphi Inquiry Method mid-2023 (Baker et al., 2006; Pastore & Andrade, 2019), classroom assessment scholars rated and gave feedback on the initial framework.
While most scholars were supportive of the equity-centered principles, we found a need for greater clarity in terminology, concerns about teacher capacity to enact practices, a lack of research specific to classroom assessment, and perceptions that the principles imply political and/or Western/Eurocentric values. There was some concern that equity-based principles overcomplicate messages about classroom assessment and diminish the important role of tangible achievement on state standards and other essential areas of learning. In our presentation, we will discuss these results, revisions we’ve resurveyed, and further revisions.
Clear principles of effective, equitable assessment will help teachers and leaders change classroom spaces for the benefit of students and teachers by providing a roadmap for practice and literacy in classroom assessment. Such a roadmap is needed given longstanding evidence that assessment content of teacher preparation programs may be limited (Authors, 2022; Greenberg & Walsh, 2012), that “standards” can be used guide professional development (AFT, NCME, NEA, 1990; Daneen & Brown, 2016), and inequities continue to pervade educational spaces (McGee, 2021).

Authors

• Dustin Sonny James Van Orman, Western Washington University

• Erin E. Riley-Lepo, The College of New Jersey

• James H. McMillan, Virginia Commonwealth University