Gap Analysis vs Wayfinding

As educators and leaders consider how best to ensure that k-12 systems support all students in becoming ready for college, careers, and citizenship, the role of assessment is a contentious one. While stakeholders agree that assessment is a vital element of effective teaching and learning systems, there are very different ideas about the exact nature of that role. Some stakeholders focus on ensuring each student is given the opportunity to develop a common set of knowledge and skills (i.e., state standards), and are committed to assessments that identify how students are progressing toward those standards. Other stakeholders are focused on individual student goals and their specific trajectories toward goals that they find meaningful. While these orientations are not mutually exclusive, they do lead to very different value judgements about the features of high-quality assessment systems. Understanding these different orientations can support better understanding of stakeholder perspectives, provide a framework for understanding the costs and benefits of different kinds of assessment designs, and help organize arguments, evidence, and research needs.