Office of Accountability Assessment Terminology Guidance Document

A balanced assessment system includes four types of assessments- universal screener, formative, interim, and
summative. Understanding each assessment’s intended purpose requires an understanding of the basic
distinctions between these four assessment types- focus, opportunity to improve student learning, and scope &
frequency of administration. Defining what each type of assessment is and does is complicated by the fact that
educators use a variety of terms interchangeably—such as interim assessment, benchmark assessment,
or predictive assessment—and the terms may or may not be used synonymously.

So, which term is the appropriate term to use? And, how does each distinct type of assessment assist us in
answering the question of “How will you know when students have learned what you have identified they must
know, understand and be able to do?”
Universal Screener Assessments are used to give
school teams a broad view of the overall health of
core instruction for all students. This includes
administering or gathering information on
foundational academic skills, behavior, and school
attendance at all levels. Universal Screener
Assessments are sometimes referred to as
predictive assessments. These assessments are
conducted three times a year (fall, winter and
spring).

Formative Assessments are used to collect

detailed information that educators can use to
improve instructional techniques and student
learning while it’s happening. These assessments
are given daily and weekly.

Interim Assessments are used to collect detailed

information, typically by standard or skill, so that
educators can adapt instructional approaches to
meet student learning needs. Interim Assessments
are sometimes referred to as benchmark / cycle
assessments. These assessments are given at
the end of an instructional cycle, every 6-8 weeks
and generally speaking, fall between formative
assessment and summative assessment.

Summative Assessments are used to evaluate

learning progress and achievement at the
conclusion of a specific instructional period—
usually at the end of a project, unit, course,
semester, program, or school year.

"When the cook tastes the soup, that's formative.

When the guests taste the soup, that's summative."
~Robert Stake
 Universal
Formative Interim Summative
Feature Screener
Assessment Assessment Assessment Assessment
BEFORE learning FOR learning BETWEEN learning OF learning
Evaluation of student
Data help educators
In-time feedback to Evaluation of student learning after an
evaluate the strength adjust ongoing progress; informing extended period of
What is their of their core teaching and to guide decisions at instruction; student
primary instructional program learning classroom, building, grading and
purpose? and to identify and district level faculty/course
students at risk for evaluation
academic failure.
Short- and
Short-term goals and intermediate-term Long-term goals, all
On what do they Reading and Math
objectives; material goals; material material covered in a
focus? foundational skills
recently covered covered over a period course or grade
of weeks
Medium or high Medium or high
Opportunity to (depending on (depending on
Improve Student High analysis of data and analysis of data and Low
Learning action plan action plan
development) development)
Full range of cognitive
Combination of levels (depths of
Highly focused,
general and specific knowledge) with
What kinds of State Standard- curriculum
items; they look like focus on concepts
aligned questions embedded; they may
items do they across a full range of not appear to be test
traditional multiple- and rules, rather than
contain? choice and details; item types are
cognitive levels items at all but part of
constructed-response similar to those found
instruction
test items in interim
assessments
Exit tickets
Conferring with
6-week Instructional
Students
Cycle Interims,
Verbal & Written
Compass Learning, EOG
responses
Mastery Connect, EOC
What are some MAP Growth Classroom work
Case 21, NCFE
examples? Reading 3D samples
NC Check-Ins, Mid-term Exam
Rubric-scored work
Chapter tests, Final Exam
Seminar discussion
Project scored with a
Quiz
rubric.
Journals
Whiteboards
Outside experts
create the items;
Classroom teachers
teachers from around
the district or state
Central office staff
Who creates Outside experts review the items;
Classroom teachers
them? create the items district or state staff
Outside experts from
and outside experts
across the district or
assemble test forms
state write the items
from approved field-
tested items

Who administers
Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher or Proctor
them?

How frequently
Three times per year
are they Fall, Winter, Spring
Daily or weekly Every 6-8 weeks Once or twice a year
administered?
January 8, 2018