Principle 3 addresses fairness and bias. At Central Park East, most students are children of color and many are low-income, while the majority of teachers are white. Because assessment requires continuous interaction between students and teachers and detailed consideration of actual student work, assessment helps bridge cultural gaps. This review is not of a separate and disconnected testing system, but of assessments as an integral part of student learning and the life of the school. The system is not perfect.
Teachers continue to debate issues as they attempt to improve the school.
The school also requires students to take the SAT, needed for admission to most colleges. Other Schools Illustrate the Principles In Delaware, Hodgson Vocational Technical High School has used a senior project to guide revisions to much of its curriculum and assessment. It has focused heavily on collaborative work among the students, including their assessment. All three high schools discussed in Authentic Assessment in Action have connections with the Coalition of Essential Schools. All rely heavily on teacher collaboration and understand the centrality of professional development.