Snapshot look at the Assessment categories and types. This information is provide to aid in the selection process of assessment administriation and the data that can retrieved for each.

2. ASSESSMENTS VERSES DIAGNOSIS
• Diagnosis characterizes the level or ability of
students through labeling for needs
• Assessments provide the data to that helps
drive instructional practices
• Assessing students is a process by which
learners are evaluated; considering living
environments, background, and current
instructional contexts.

3. ASSESSMENT CATEGORIES
Formative assessments
•
On-going assessments, reviews, and observations in a classroom
•
Used to improve instructional methods and student feedback
throughout the teaching and learning process (Florida Center for
Instructional Technologies, 2012).
Summative assessments
•
typically used to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional programs
and services at the end of an academic year or at a pre-determined time.
•
makes a judgment of student competency after an instructional phase is
complete (Florida Center for Instructional Technologies, 2012).
•
Four types of Assessment include: screenings, diagnostic
measures, progress monitoring, outcome measures

4. SCREENINGS ( FORMATIVE)
•
•
•
•
•
Function as a “digging deeper” tool
Administered to all students
Brief/ quick in duration
Targets specific areas of deficiencies
Designed to measure needs of students who are not
functioning academically in sync with their peers (Vogt &
Shearer, 2011)
• Used as baseline data for progress monitoring
Examples: Cool Tools Informal Assessments
http://www.paec.org/itrk3/files/pdfs/readingPdfs/coolToolsOverview.pdf

5. DIAGNOSTIC ( FORMATIVE)
• Used as follow-up measures for poorperforming students
• More Time Consuming than a screener
• May be norm-referenced or informal
• Identifies difficulty areas
• Suggested use only when no other measure will
yield information needed (Vogt 7 Shearer, 2011)
Example: Minute Papers
http://www.flaguide.org/cat/minutepapers/minutepapers1.php

6. PROGRESS MONITORING
• Can be informally measured or through observation
• Helps determine whether interventions are working or if
adjustments are needed
• Can drive instruction if closely tied to what is being
taught
Example: AIMSweb
www.aimsweb.com

7. OUTCOME MEASURE (SUMMATIVE)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Group Administration
Associated with high stakes
Norm- Referenced
Standardized
Summative in nature
Used to determine adequate yearly progress
Used in district to district and state to state comparisons
(Vogt & Shearer, 2011)
Example – FCAT 2.0
http://www.fldoe.org/asp/

8. REFERENCES
• Vogt, M. & Shearer, B.. (2011). Reading specialist and
literacy coaches in the real world. (3rd ed.) Boston: MA:
Allyn & Bacon
• http://www.paec.org/itrk3/files/pdfs/readingPdfs/coolTools
Overview.pdf
• http://www.fldoe.org/asp/
• www.aimsweb.com
• http://www.flaguide.org/cat/minutepapers/minutepapers1.
php
• Florida Center for Instructional Technologies. Basis
concepts: formative verses summative assessments.
Retrieved from:
http://fcit.usf.edu/assessment/basic/basica.html