A recent report released by the National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY) states that among those educators who have be awarded Teacher of the Year, there is a consensus that new consortia assessments, PARCC and Smarter Balance, are on the right trajectory and are an improvement on previous state assessments. Related findings of this report include:
- The new consortia assessments better reflect the range of reading and math knowledge and skills that all students should master.
- The new consortia assessments are designed to include items that better reflect the full range of cognitive complexity in a balanced way.
- The new consortia assessments better align with the kinds of strong instructional practices these expert teachers believe should be used in the classroom, and thereby better support great teaching and learning throughout the school year.
- The new consortia assessments provide information relevant to a wide range of performers, particularly moderate and high-performers.
- While the new consortia assessments are more rigorous and demanding, they are grade-level appropriate, and even more so than prior state tests.
For more information, see the full report here.
