Understanding that large-scale assessments are assessments given to a population of students to measure student achievement for the purpose of educational accountability, including identifying gaps in curriculum, recognizing groups of students who are being underserved, and setting and achieving system-wide goals, NCTM has released the following position statement:
NCTM Position on The Effective and Appropriate Use of Large-Scale Assessments in Mathematics Education to Guide Systemic Improvement and Equitable Student Learning
Data from large-scale assessments must be used with caution when making judgments about individual student performance because of the narrow constraints of the types of knowledge and skills that can be assessed through such a format.
When examining data, we must ensure:
- Large-scale assessments can support systemic improvement
- Inferences from large-scale assessment data must be used with caution
- Large-scale assessments must always be viewed through an equity lens
- Large-scale assessments must align with curriculum and goals
- Major decisions about student placement, promotion, or graduation must be based on valid inferences from multiple data sources
Read the full position statement.
About NCTM Position Statements
NCTM position statements define a particular problem, issue, or need and describe its relevance to mathematics education. These statements address important and timely policy issues relevant to mathematics education. They rest on the foundation provided by Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, Principles to Actions and research, and address issues that extend beyond the classroom. Each one defines the Council's position or answers a question central to the issue. Position statements are approved by the NCTM Board of Directors.