School Quality Reviews: Promoting Accountability for Deeper Learning

This paper synthesizes recent research on formative assessment to elucidate its core components, then examines some new approaches currently being tried in schools. It considers the evidence for them, as well as the questions and issues they continue to raise, and takes a look at the challenges schools and school systems face in implementing both new approaches and more established models of formative assessment.

This brief presents research showing that, when the concepts of student autonomy and assessments' role in that development are explored, implemented, and measured, students will become more competent and confident learners ready to handle challenges in academics, the workplace, and civic life. The brief also offers examples of student autonomy and initial proof of viable concepts. Finally, we leave the reader with discussion questions to prompt consideration of related issues of policy and practice.