What Better School Tests Would Look Like

A proposal for a system of assessments that would allow learners, schools to work toward a diverse range of goals

Photo by Ben Mullins on Unsplash

The predominant assessment system in the United States is in dire need of updating. The country needs to move to systems of assessments that give a more robust look at what students know and can do without distracting and taking away from learning time.

Jay McTighe, the famed education writer and consultant with 50 years of experience in education, has created a vision for what this could look like, that offers both hope and feasibility.

McTighe’s vision hinges on his observation of the impact of assessments—particularly standardized ones—used for accountability purposes.

As McTighe recently told me, “In many cases, the assessment tail seemed to be wagging the dog, the instruction and curricular dog. … [So] let's put our attention to the tail. Let's think about try to better understand assessment and how to make the tail wag the dog in a better direction.”