In order to help improve teaching and learning, parents and teachers want timely assessments that monitor individual student performance and progress across a range of subjects and skills, according to a survey commissioned by the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA). The study, For Every Child, Multiple Measures: What Parents and Educators Want From K-12 Assessments, gauges the perceptions of parents, teachers, and district administrators—those with the most practical and personal experience with the day-to-day impact of assessments and accountability.

“After a decade of high-stakes accountability assessments, what lessons can be learned from those closest to students?” the report asks. “What’s working—and what’s not? What do parents, teachers, and district administrators really want from assessments? What innovations should be expected of assessments?”

Parents and educators are in agreement about what matters most in assessment—they want information that provides a broader picture of learning. The report recommends that decisions about teaching and learning be shared among principals, teachers, and administrators, and that leaders establish professional learning communities to make the best use of data. It also advises educators to help parents understand and interpret assessment results. Other highlights of the findings are below.

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