The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 NCLB) holds states, districts, and
schools accountable for student achievement. NCLB requires regular
assessments to mark progress and highlight weaknesses in core academic
subjects. These assessment results must be reported in the aggregate as
we as disaggregated (separated individual subgroups of students (low
income students, students with disabilities, African-American students,
Hispanic students, White students or others).
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Districts can use information provided from state and
local assessments to determine needs and target resources or they
can use information from state and local assessments to provide
appropriate professional development for teachers, and help to meet
the needs of all subgroups of students.
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Teachers can use information from assessments
required under NCLB to inform classroom decisions, and provide the
best possible instruction for student learning so that all students
succeed.
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Parents have access to regular school, district, and
state report cards, so they may monitor progress and make informed
decisions.
Effective teachers use data daily to inform their decisions. One of the
most important aspects of good teaching, as many teachers know, is the
ability to discern which students are learning and which are not, and
then to tailor instruction to meet individual learning needs. Research
shows that teachers who use student test performance to guide and
improve their teaching are more effective than teachers who do not use
such information. For example, one study demonstrates that achievement
in mathematics for low-performing students accelerated when teachers
received weekly summaries and performance graphs of their students’
performance Fuchs, L.S., Fuchs, D., et al, 1994).
While testing is an important part of measuring progress, how teachers
use the information to improve instruction is crucial. Teachers have the
opportunity to use data from assessments to make good decisions when
adapting instruction, evaluating progress, highlighting successes, and
improving weaknesses.
Assessment Homepage
