Assessments in Social Studies

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 table below.

Testing	Assessment
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

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Testing - Ohio’s State Tests

High school American history and government are the only tested courses in Social Studies. Teachers can best prepare their students for the tests by aligning their teaching with Ohio's Learning Standards, which serve as the basis for these tests. See the Model Curriculum and other resources to help plan standards-based instruction. 

Educators can access guidance documents, blueprints, sample tests and item tutorials for Ohio's State Tests in Social Studies through Ohio’s Test Portal.

Assessment - Formative and Summative Assessments

We can define assessments as formative and summative, depending on their purposes.

• 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 tests, teachers can use dozens of formative instructional practices to assess student progress. Then, they can adjust their teaching to meet students' needs. Learn more from resources below.
• Summative classroom assessments evaluate student learning near the end of an instructional unit by comparing it against a standard.

 

Last Modified: 7/27/2021 1:04:24 PM

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