Principles for effective, equitable classroom assessment

Teachers’ classroom assessment (CA) practices can significantly impact student learning, motivation, and socio-emotional well-being. This paper presents the process and outcomes of an effort to build a framework of CA principles to facilitate K-12 teacher practices that will lead to improved student learning, motivation and belonging called, ‘A Guiding Framework for Effective, Equitable Classroom Assessment for Teacher Practice and Student Success’. In three development phases, we drew on research and professional standards to build best evidence principles for teacher CA practice, then iteratively refined and tested versions of the framework with an international sample of 42 CA scholars within two Delphi studies, and 12 U.S.-based K-12 teachers in cognitive interviews. With increasing consensus, scholars and teachers contributed to enhancing the clarity and utility of the framework. Ultimately, the framework can guide effective, equitable teaching and learning, and worldwide education and teacher education policy, as well as scholarship in CA.