Assessment and testing, terms we use interchangeably, measure student, school and school district progress and serve as indicators for school and district accountability. High-quality assessments are essential to standards-based reform because they are derived from state standards and tied to the curriculum; define acceptable performance levels toward state standards; yield information about progress; and provide information about curriculum strengths and shortfalls. High-quality assessments seek to improve both teaching and learning.

The AFT has identified the following criteria for developing assessments:

1. Tests should reflect the depth and breadth of state standards, and the process for determining alignment must be clear.
2. Tests should meet professional measurement standards; they must be valid and reliable and be used only for the purposes for which they were designed.
3. Tests should define performance standards and include descriptors, sample student work and scorer commentary.
4. Tests should not be overly burdensome.
5. Tests should be administered with different students' needs in mind (i.e., provide appropriate accommodations for students).
6. States should construct new test forms for each administration to reduce the problem of narrowing the curriculum and teaching only to a test.
7. States should consult with teachers throughout the test development process.

The AFT also has identified criteria for reporting test data:

1. States should provide information to the public about its testing program, purpose and levels of acceptable performance.
2. Test data should be disaggregated by subgroups.
3. States should institute an automatic review process when atypical test results are found.
4. Test data should yield information about student performance to help change, inform and guide instruction.