Benchmark assessments like MAP Growth can set a baseline for learning and progress across a grade level. This is useful for schools in evaluating grade-level progress and teacher effectiveness.

As a classroom assessment, students can understand their progress and learning over a particular topic.

The specific focus of common learning assessments, students can understand their progress and learning over a particular topic or series of topics.

Criterion-referenced assessments, like a driving test, can show an agency the learning and acquired skills necessary to meet a minimum requirement, such as state laws on driving.

This type of assessment shows a teacher what a student already knows so lessons do not have to be repeated to focus instruction on missing skills or building on previous knowledge.

An end of quarter essay as a formal assessment allow an instructor to show learning across a group of students. Teachers can then develop an understanding of a group's acquisition and application of knowledge for implementing future changes in the curriculum presentation for learning.

As a general formative assessment, students can understand their progress and learning over a particular topic as they are forming the knowledge.

High-Stakes exams are used for important decision-making such as which students are offered admission into a particular program, school, or college.

With this informal assessment, students can understand their progress and learning over a particular topic in a specific activity.

This diagnostic assessment can also function as an instructional assessment because students are shown specific deficits and areas to target their learning.

Reading Plus Insight

These assessments are given at intervals throughout the school year and guide teacher's decisions about how to focus instruction and target learning deficits.

This type of assessment can give a snapshot of learning across a large group of similar students. This assessments provide feedback to administrators and leaders on the state of learning of a large group of students in a particular area of focus.

This type of assessment allows for a comparison of a student's performance to a larger group of students. It is often used to determine mastery of a skill and like high-stakes assessments can be used for important decision-making purposes where skill mastery is expected or necessary.

Performance essays show the cumulative learning of a student to inform an instructor's understanding of what a student has learned or not learned to guide further instruction.

This standardized test is used like the criterion-referenced driving test to show that a student has acquired a minimum set of knowledge required. It is standardized because it is given to all students wanting to earn a GED credential in the same way.

Summative exams such as an end-of-unit exam inform school administrators of the progress of a student and/or class group. In addition to their usefulness for teachers in developing instruction, administrators can use them for evaluation of a teacher or curriculum's effectiveness.