Standards-Based Assessment

The term standards-based assessment refers to any assessment used to gauge student mastery of state-adopted content standards, which outline things that students are expected to know and be able to do. Standards-based assessment is a key aspect of standards-based reform, which was implemented in the 1990s and is based on the notion that if states set standards, adopt high-stakes tests that measure them, and hold schools accountable for test performance, they will create an incentive for teachers to provide high-quality instruction on the standards. Classroom assessments are also often standards based in that they are intended to gauge student attainment of standards and provide information on student progress over the course of the school year. This entry first discusses standards-based assessment used on a statewide ...