Assessments in Mathematics

Assessments measure how students are learning and progressing through Ohio's Learning Standards. They also serve a critical role in helping educators and parents monitor their students' school progress. Teachers use both formative and summative assessments in their classrooms throughout the school year to help them monitor the knowledge and skills students are gaining. These assessments will help teachers better gauge how prepared students are for Ohio's State Tests. 

On the Ohio Department of Education website, we use the terms Testing and Assessment in specific ways. Testing refers to Ohio's State Tests. Assessment refers to the many formative and summative assessments teachers and districts use to monitor student progress at the local level. Learn more by reviewing the graphic below.
 

Testing

Assessment

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  • Measures how students statewide are gaining knowledge and skills outlined in Ohio’s Learning Standards
  • Provides a measurement of each public school’s performance
  • Results appear in the Ohio School Report Card 
  • Helps educators and parents monitor students’ school progress
  • Shows where students may need additional help or practice
  • Allows teachers to adjust their instruction to meet students’ needs 

Testing - Ohio’s State Tests

Ohio's Testing portal overview

Students in grades 3-8 and high school take Ohio’s State Tests in mathematics. Teachers can best prepare their students for the tests by aligning their teaching through the year with Ohio's Learning Standards, which serve as the basis for these tests. See the model curriculum and other resources to help you plan standards-based instruction. 

Educators can access guidance documents, blueprints, sample tests and item tutorials for Ohio's State Tests in mathematics through Ohio’s State Test portal by clicking here. For state tests in other subject areas, click here.

Additional State Test Resources 


Assessment - Formative and Summative Assessments

We can define assessments as formative and summative, depending on their purposes.  
  • Summative classroom assessments evaluate student learning near the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against a standard.
  • Formative classroom assessments are strategies teachers use throughout the year to identify where students may need additional help or practice or when they are ready to move ahead in their learning. Rather than relying only upon traditional paper and pencil tests, teachers can use dozens of formative instructional practices to assess student progress. Then, they can adjust their teaching to meet students' needs.   

Last Modified: 7/29/2022 3:41:29 PM