Assessment and Accountability in Science Education

Any current discussion of assessment of student learning inevitably brings to mind the imminent accountability requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB). But educators also assess student learning in order to inform and improve their instructional techniques, not just for the sake of accountability. Even if NCLB did not require science to be part of each state’s testing program by 2007, assessing student learning would still be of prime importance to science educators, principally because it is key to effective teaching and learning. Assessment and learning are two sides of the same coin. However, since NCLB will soon be a reality, science educators must include assessment for accountability in their discussions of assessment for learning.

According to the National Science Education Standards, "assessments are the primary feedback mechanism in the science education system. They provide students with feedback on how well they are meeting expectations, teachers with feedback on how well their students are learning, school districts with feedback on the effectiveness of their teachers and programs, and policy makers with feedback on how well policies are working." In other words, assessment involves and affects every member of the science education community, including students, teachers, supervisors, administrators, members of science industries, and policy makers.

The 6th Annual Leadership Initiative in Science Education (LISE 6) brought together members of the science education community to examine the methods science teachers use to assess learning in the classroom and the assessment methods they'll need to use to meet the accountability provisions of NCLB. The conference focused on these questions:

• What are the characteristics of effective classroom assessment in science?
• What are some best practices in science classroom assessment?
• What are the barriers to effective science classroom assessment for all students?
• Can assessment methods inform the work of museums and science centers?
• What is the relationship between classroom assessment and high-stakes testing?
• What is the role of NCLB, and what are its provisions for science education?