Student assessment is one of 12 elements of high-quality CTE, defined in ACTE’s comprehensive, research-based Quality CTE Program of Study Framework. This element addresses the types and quality of assessments used in the program of study, including the types of knowledge and skills that should be assessed, and assessments that lead to recognized postsecondary credentials. The following reports, articles, guides and toolkits can help you develop and implement high-quality assessment.
Incorporating Assessment
Do-it-Yourself: Six Tips for Designing Group Work Evaluations
Wallgren and Lindbeck, ACTE Techniques Magazine, January 2017
These six tips can help you create an effective peer evaluation tool for your classroom.
CBE in CTE: The Perfect Fit
Helser, ACTE Techniques Magazine, September 2016
Faculty from the School of Applied Technology at Salt Lake Community College describes the transition of 20 of its workforce-, clock-hour-based programs into a competency-based education (CBE) format, with a focus on assessments in CBE.
Accelerated Learning Opportunities and Prior Learning Assessment
Foster and Gielczyk, ACTE Techniques Magazine, April 2015
This article provides an overview of options in accelerated learning and prior learning assessment.
The CRTC SPUR Process
Rothenberg, ACTE Techniques Magazine, April 2014
Concord Regional Technical Center has developed a new assessment process called SPUR (Student Performance upon Understandings Review), which incorporates soft- and hard-skills assessments, a portfolio, a scoring model and more.
Multi-Rater Feedback: Improving Students’ Readiness for the OR
Wachter and Lion, ACTE Techniques Magazine, March 2016
The authors describe using a variety of evaluation strategies to better and more accurately address individual successes and shortcomings in surgical technology programs.
Performance Assessment
Quality Performance Assessment: Harnessing the Power of Teacher and Student Learning
Brown and Mevs, Center for Collaborative Education and Nellie Mae Education Foundation, February 2012
Faculty can take specific actions to develop a strong local assessment system, with performance assessment as its cornerstone. The publication includes stories from the field.
Developing a Performance Assessment System from the Ground Up: Lessons Learned from Three Linked Learning Pathways
Jaquith, Martin and Johnston, Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education, February 2014
This guide provides a set of strategies, tools and questions for taking action to develop or strengthen a performance assessment system in the context of Linked Learning pathways.
Industry-recognized Certification Exams and Career Readiness Assessments
CTE’s Role in Workplace Readiness Credentials
ACTE, 2008
CTE plays a leading role in the continued expansion and value of workforce readiness credentials.
Student Success, Step by Step
Skaggs, ACTE Techniques Magazine, September 2013
This article discusses processes for crosswalking the National Health Science Assessment to standards, reviewing data and preparing students for the exam.
Credentials—One Tool for Retaining Students
Bloomfield et. al, ACTE Techniques Magazine, February 2013
Industry credentials play a major role in engaging students in Virginia Beach City Public Schools.
The Promise of Digital Badges and The Practicality of Digital Badges
Foster, ACTE Techniques Magazine, November/December 2013 and September 2014
This introductory article describes the five components of the digital badge ecosystem and how badges can be incorporated into CTE programs. The follow-up article provides more information on the motivational aspects of a digital badge system and describes the preliminary results of an experiment about badges in CTE.
Measuring Technical and Academic Achievement: Employer/Certification Examinations’ Role in High School Assessment
Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), 2009
SREB reviewed and evaluated more than 200 employer certification examinations. The full report contains a brief description of and observations about the nature of these examinations.
Evaluating Credentialing Systems: Implications for Career-Technical Educators
Mahlman and Austin, The Ohio State University, 2002
This paper commissioned for the National Skill Standards Board proposes standards for evaluating the quality of a credential and a collaborative process for evaluating credentials for CTE programs.
Alternative Credentials: Prior Learning 2.0
Buban, Online Learning Consortium Research Center for Digital Learning and Leadership, March 2017
Colleges are helping students who possess alternative credentials apply these experiences to a degree through prior learning assessment and other methods. This publication includes a number of case studies.
How is Career Readiness Assessed?
McMurrer, Frizzell and McIntosh, Center on Education Policy, October 2013
This is the second in a series of four related papers from the Center on Education Policy describing career readiness assessments across states and districts.