In addition, grouping and pacing decisions based on test results are unfair if all students have not had an equal opportunity to learn . Poor decision can also be made if attention is not paid to appropriateness of the form of assessment for the intended purpose of the assessment. Teachers develop classroom assessments that value the ability to apply knowledge by reasoning and solving novel problems as well as the acquisition of knowledge and low-level skills. Teachers better evaluate their own classroom assessment practices and instructional procedures, and how they affect student achievement. Susan Watson, literature teacher at Verona Area High School in Verona, Wisconsin, talks about the value of informal assessment while working with small groups of students .
Teachers collect valid, reliable data to inform their instructional decisions.
Administrators support and work with teachers to strengthen teaching through improved assessment practices. Students are involved in developing scoring criteria, self-evaluation , and goal setting, and view classroom assessment as appropriate reflections of what they are learning. Policymakers understand the impact of their external assessment decisions on classroom instruction. Teachers should collectively examine the grouping and tracking practices in their school to determine whether these practices are appropriate and based on valid and reliable information. Teachers should discuss with colleagues their own informal assessments of individual students so that the knowledge base of all teachers is expanded.