Specifications include, but are not limited to: In its vision of a new Statewide Assessment Program, DESE desires to transition away from a traditional assessment format to an innovative, authentic, and balanced program that is focused on providing actionable data at the district, school, classroom, and student levels. Within this vision, educators receive actionable information about student achievement at multiple points throughout the school year so that they can monitor or adjust instruction to ensure all students are on track for grade level expectations. Assessments provide educators with timely and coherent information regarding students' understanding of grade level standards and represent a clear consistent vision as to how students come to develop knowledge in the domain. In addition, the tools and understandings used to support coherence across State developed assessments (e.g., summative and interim) are designed in a manner that allows assessment results to be shared across different levels of the educational system as a means of ensuring that locally selected/designed tools and procedures reflect a common understanding and model of student learning.
