This special issue on assessment provides the readership with evidence-based insights on assessment theories and praxes for middle grades level. Each article approaches the assessment phenomenon from a unique perspective, together creating a comprehensive picture of educational assessment research, analysis, and application. Given that high-stakes testing prevails as the driving force behind critical decisions in education, for the curriculum as well as teacher employment, many educators feel alone in their efforts to utilize classroom or large-scale assessment as a way to improve student learning. This special issue includes articles to help stakeholders develop a research-based understanding of educational assessment for middle grades level in this age of accountability.
The purpose of this special issue is to revitalize effective assessment strategies at the middle grades level by revisiting, discussing, and analyzing the knowledge base of thinking, research, and application. Specifically, Gerald Kulm urges educators not to allow high-stakes testing to overshadow the main purpose of assessment, which is student learning. Building on Kulm’s article, Ayas and colleagues bring an international perspective to the discussion by analyzing the factors that helped Turkey move toward a greater integration of assessment and student learning. Yet, they claim that policymakers continue to ignore the limitations of the nationwide exams. In the third article of this issue, Marsha Ing focuses on the strengths and limitations of the use of measurement tools for high-stakes decisions. In connection to Ing’s explanation of the generalizability theory, Jeffrey Shih examines the role of generalizability theory in creating informed decisions on the measurement qualities of classroom observation tools. Finally, Lane and his colleagues demonstrate how theory on formal assessment strategies can be translated into practice in order to obtain insights into the effectiveness of a statewide education program.
