1. Interim Assessments: Do you know what you are buying and why
Interim Assessments: Do you know what you are buying and why? Stanley Rabinowitz, Ph.D. WestEd Imagine: Mathematics Assessment for Learning A Convening of Practitioners and Partners July 21, 2009

2. Key Questions
What are the various definitions of formative assessment?
Where do interim assessments fall on the continuum of formative assessments?
What criteria should be examined to evaluator and/or select an interim assessment system?
What supports are needed to successfully implement a formative assessment system?

3. Definitions of Formative Assessment
Curriculum Embedded
Diagnostic
Interim (benchmark, periodic)
Summative
Accountability
High stakes

4. Publisher: Product Name
Formative, Benchmark, and/or Interim Assessment Systems: Review Criteria (Framework)
Publisher: Product Name
Product Purpose
Product Components
Content Areas
Item Type
Grades
Targeted Populations
# Of States and/or Districts Using the Product
Cost

5. Action Learning Systems: Benchmark Exams
Formative, Benchmark, and/or Interim Assessment Systems: Review Criteria (Framework)
Product Review
Action Learning Systems: Benchmark Exams
Potential Strengths
Research and Development:
Alignment:
Bias and Sensitivity Review:
Test Administration:
Scoring/Reporting/Analysis/Student Score Banking:
Overall Reporting Usability:
Customization Features:
Professional Development and Instructional Support:
Technology and Infrastructure (requirements, security and support):
Overall Product Usability and Effectiveness:
Potential Cautions or Limitations
Scoring/Reporting/Analysis/Student Score Banking: N/A
N/A

6. Formative, Benchmark, and/or Interim Assessment Systems: Review Criteria (Framework)
Citation Guide
p = Publisher
wested = Wested data/research
perie = Perie, Marion and Gong, A Framework for Considering Interim Assessments
References

7. Supports for Interim Assessments
Careful attention to the goals of the formative assessment system, focusing on what outcomes are reasonable and which are not;
Development/selection of formative tasks that provided multiple entry points for students of varying achievement levels;
Development/selection of support materials (e.g., instructional guides, scoring rubrics) to support teachers;
Up-front training of teachers and administrators;
Availability of expert coaches to support teachers at critical stages of implementation;
Ongoing evaluation of usage and effectiveness.