Formative Assessment

The Center for Effective School Practices at Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Education (RU GSE) received a grant award through the New Jersey Department of Education (NJ DOE) to support the increasing need to improve New Jersey educators’ data literacy to support assessment-driven ELA instruction. The grant award supported a two-year Formative Assessment program, designed to meet the specific needs of the professional learning community at Red Bank Borough Public Schools. The goals and objectives of the program were developed in close collaboration with school leaders in the district, with important input from the NJ DOE. The Formative Assessment program was based on professional learning activities developed with the academic expertise of several RU GSE faculty members – Dr. Flores, Dr. Francois, Dr. Gitomer, and the Project Director, Dr. Blitz. The program was designed to inform and support educators in developing appropriate assessments for improving teaching and students’ academic outcomes. Importantly, the Formative Assessment program activities were developed in the context of the existing educational initiatives in the district, such as the adoption of the Common Core State Standards and teacher evaluation, among others. The Formative Assessment program enabled Red Bank Borough Public Schools’ educators to work productively in collaboration with colleagues by taking advantage of the district’s professional learning networks.