For tests and assessments to be most effective, parents need to be informed and to understand the types of assessments that can be used. Return to top . Performance assessments Increasingly, schools are now using performance assessments, which measure a student's ability to do an actual task, such as playing a piece of music or conducting a chemistry experiment. The strength of this approach to testing is that it focuses directly on complex performances and the knowledge and skills required to accomplish them. Some of the disadvantages of performance assessments are that they are seen as difficult and costly to score and require a great amount of classroom time.
Portfolios are one type of performance assessment that is becoming increasingly popular in schools.
Portfolios, which contain samples of students' work, can be used to gather information about what students can do over a long period of time. A writing portfolio, for example, might include a series of story drafts, while a science portfolio might include a collection of lab reports. This approach allows students, teachers, and parents to analyze students' progress and see how their work has changed over time. Portfolios can be difficult to score, but they contain a lot of important information. Some states already have portfolio assessments in place to evaluate students' work in a subject over an entire year.