Designing an Assessment Plan That Reflects What Matters Most

Module 1: Getting Started with Assessment
Designing Your Microschool Assessment Approach
Module 2: The Purpose of Assessment
Rethinking Assessment: A Tool for Growth and Empowerment
Assessment as an Ongoing Practice
Module 3: Collecting Evidence
From Snapshots to Stories: Gathering Meaningful Evidence
Module 4: Artifacts Collected Through Project-Based Learning
Portfolio Evidence and the Student Success Framework
Module 5: Academic Skills
Two Kinds of Academic Outcomes
Assessment Tool 1: Rubrics
Module 6: Life Habits
Building Habits That Help Students Thrive
Assessment Tool 2: Checklists
Module 7: Purpose and Sense of Self
Reflecting on Purpose and Identity
Assessment Tool 3: Reflections
Module 8: Other Critical Outcomes
Academic Content Skills
Module 9: Helping Students Develop a Growth Mindset
Why Growth Mindset Matters
Module 10: What Comes Next?
Looking Ahead
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From Snapshots to Stories: Gathering Meaningful Evidence

Designing an Assessment Plan That Reflects What Matters Most From Snapshots to Stories: Gathering Meaningful Evidence

What Students Need to Grow

To help students grow as learners and reflect on their growth we need two main things:

  1. Evidence to reflect on and assess 
  2. Tools to help teachers and students evaluate and reflect on that evidence.

Two Types of Evidence

We can think of evidence in one of two ways: 

  1. Point in time: Evidence that we get at one point in time- for example a quiz. 
  2. Story over Time: A picture of growth and progress that comes from looking at evidence over the course of a week, month and year. 

Why Do We Need Both?

Both types of assessment are important. A point-in-time assessment can help you understand how a student is doing on a specific skill or concept right now. It’s useful for quick checks and immediate feedback.

 

But when we look at evidence collected over time—like work samples, reflections, and rubrics—we start to see a fuller picture. This kind of assessment helps students see and feel their own growth. It reinforces the idea that effort matters and helps them recognize where and how they’re learning and improving.

What Do These Assessment Show?

To better understand the differences between point-in-time evidence and evidence over time, you’ll review two examples:

  • A multiple choice quiz (Note: The quiz is not part of a Rock by Rock project.)

  • A portfolio created by Nicholas, a 5th grade student who recently completed the Rock by Rock project True Cost of Cell Phones.

Directions: Click on the quiz and portfolio images below to explore each type of assessment. As you review, consider what each piece of evidence shows you about Nicholas as a learner. Start by reviewing the quiz. Then, look through the portfolio artifacts.

Think About It

After reviewing both the quiz and the portfolio:

  • What kind of evidence did you get from the quiz?

  • What kind of evidence did you get from the portfolio?

  • What is Nichollas showing you as a learner—and how?

How does each type of evidence help support these goals?:

  • Strengths: Help students see what they’re good at.
  • Growth: Support growth in key skills and competencies.
  • Reflection: Give students opportunities to tell the story of their progress so they see themselves as lifelong learners, capable of growing through effort and reflection.
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