Strategic Assessment Systems

Summative Assessments

Summative Assessment Icon

Are All of Our Students Meeting the Standards?

Summative assessments are designed to evaluate learning by providing cumulative snapshots, often but not exclusively through standardized assessments that are typically classroom, school, district, or state-centered, and that answer "are all of our students meeting the standards?" Summative assessments can take on the form of end-of-unit assessments, essays, projects, performance tasks, presentations, statewide assessments and more. 

Data from summative assessments:

  • are derived from a variety of sources, not just standardized or statewide tests
  • answer whether all students have met the standards successfully 
  • should be used strategically with formative and interim data to inform teaching and learning 
  •  illuminate areas of strength and gaps in curriculum and instruction, especially for student subgroups (when used with other data sources)
  • provides key information for conversations around student learning
  • provides information to families and the general public

Summative Assessment Video

In the video, viewers learn about the critical role that a variety of summative assessments play and the importance of strategic data use. Summative assessments provide cumulative snapshots to evaluate and report on student learning.

 This video can be used to support educators' professional development related to data and assessment literacy. Consider using this Video Supplement to kick off your next PLC meeting to enhance your own data and assessment literacy.

Designing Summative Assessments

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The Assessment Design Toolkit created by the Center on Standards & Assessment Implementation at West includes videos and supplemental materials to help teachers write and select well-designed assessments. 

The toolkit can be used to:

  • Empower educators to become master assessment designers who plan, write, and select assessments which provide a clear sense of student learning.
  • Make informed decisions about using specific types of question items and improve current assessments.
  • Improve assessment literacy among teachers, especially teachers of non-tested grades and subjects who do not have state assessments to measure student growth.