Summative Assessment is the opportunity for students to show what they know and demonstrate what they can do with that knowledge independently and in novel contexts. I<\/span>t\u2019s a moment for celebrating all of the learning your students have done and can do! <\/b>Their work provides evidence that they are proficient: that they have met the learning goal. Summative assessments can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Tests and essays, obviously. But also performance tasks, projects, presentations, performances\u2026 really any format that allows students to show evidence that they meet the learning goal.<\/span><\/p>\n Students and teachers need a clear path forward. If the learning goal is the destination, summative assessment is the way they show that they have arrived and to determine where they might head next.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In summative assessment, students demonstrate the knowledge\/understandings\/skills they gained during the learning experience in a clear way. What\u2019s important is that they demonstrate their learning, but they don\u2019t necessarily all have to do it in the same way. How they show their learning is an opportunity to give students choice, which will make the work feel personally meaningful and engaging. Your learning goals provide criteria that set high expectations for all learners, and this criteria (and only this criteria) is used to assess the evidence they provide.\u00a0 Meaningful instruction and formative assessment have allowed you and your learners to forge pathways that meet their learning needs and allow them to practice skills and develop understandings. The summative assessment measures what matters; it allows learners to demonstrate the particular skills and knowledge defined by the learning goal(s).<\/span><\/p>\n One thing to keep in mind when designing summative assessments is equal access to the demonstration of learning. Summative assessments or performance tasks should be done in class and individually to create an equitable learning environment. For example, you wouldn\u2019t want to give a summative assessment as a take home project because not all students might have access to a quiet space to work, the resources necessary to do the assessment, or the support that might be needed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Summative Assessments are the opportunity for students to show what they know and can do.\u00a0 They are the key to students providing evidence of proficiency on the <\/span>learning goals, <\/b>and they are designed with clear criteria that align with those learning goals.\u00a0 Alignment is also important as we design <\/span>meaningful instruction <\/b>that gives students multiple chances to learn and practice skills and knowledge. <\/span>\u00a0Formative assessments<\/b> not only give us feedback for tweaking our instruction, they also serve as guideposts along the way toward the summative: they let us know when our students are ready to provide evidence of proficiency on the summative assessment. Students may be ready for the summative assessment at different times.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s say a teacher has been designing instruction and learning experiences to meet the NGSS science proficiency. Students who demonstrate understanding can: <\/span>Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how environmental and genetic factors influence the growth of organisms (MS-LS1-5). <\/span><\/i>Through lab experiences, inquiry-based assignments, and practice, students have been given formative feedback and direct instruction regularly. The teacher feels that the class is ready to show what they know and can do through a summative assessment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As the learners progress through cycles of meaningful instruction and formative assessment they begin to demonstrate their readiness for summative assessment. Flexible pacing allows students to arrive at the summative assessment at different times. If the student is not meeting proficiency on a summative assessment, see meaningful instruction toolkit for guidance here.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The teachers and students use these learning goals as guideposts and embed some student choice within the summative assessment. This can be a choice of the product students are creating, or choice in the way the proficiency will be expressed. For example, students could:<\/span><\/p>\n Use the scale below to assess your current practice, then find resources to support your growth in the Summative Assessment Toolbox.<\/span><\/p>\nWhy it\u2019s important:\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
How it fits into the proficiency-based education ecosystem:<\/h2>\n
What summative assessment looks like in practice:\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
The teacher (perhaps with the help of students) uses the learning goals to define what proficiency looks like:<\/span><\/h3>\n
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How do I know if I\u2019m on the right track with summative assessment?<\/h2>\n