Balanced Assessment

  • KMSD's balanced assessment system provides different types of information about student achievement throughout the year to serve different purposes.  The system consists of three tiers with the following different assessment types: formative, benchmark, and summative.      
     

    Type  Description    Purpose
    Summative   
    		 Summative assessments are large-scale standardized assessments which provide an annual snapshot of the achievement levels of students at the grade, school and/or district level.   Summative assessments are used to evaluate student learning at the grade, school, and/or district level. 
    Benchmark Benchmark assessments are diagnostic or monitoring in nature and provide multiple data points during the course of the school year.  Benchmarks serve to monitor student progress towards a set of learning targets.  
    Formative Formative assessments are ongoing classroom assessments that are locally developed and are integrated in the daily classroom experience of the student.   Formative assessments provide immediate feedback to teachers and students and are used by teachers to plan for future instruction.  


    Each of these assessments are standards-based and provide information about our students' attainment of proficiency and journey toward college and career readiness.