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What is Formative Assessment?

Formative assessment is a process used by teachers during instruction to determine whether or not students have mastered a particular set of skills.  Formative assessment, at its purest, is questioning.  As such, formative assessment is what informs our adjustment of instruction.  You will notice an increase in the discussion around formative assessment this year.


Even though questioning is a type of formative assessment, there are other methods teachers can utilize, such as exit tickets and examination of student work.  On this page, you will find some helpful resources for learning more about this critical element of classroom instruction.