Summary

The recent global pandemic brought into focus the extent to which education in the United States is characterized by disparities of access, opportunity, and outcomes. More recently, new changes to education policy will likely have an adverse effect on the opportunities and access for certain communities of students in US schools.

To support those who advocate for equitable assessment and equity in education, this report delves into two areas of research. One is focused on the field itself, covering what aligned organizations (including educational assessment nonprofits, civil rights organizations, teachers’ unions, and testing companies) aspire to communicate, and what they are currently saying in their communications. The other is focused on the public, revealing the deeply ingrained assumptions and patterns of thinking—or cultural mindsets—that shape how people think about assessment.

This report is structured as follows in laying out our findings and recommendations:

• What does the field want to communicate? A summary of the three target ideas that those advocating for greater equity in assessment are trying to communicate.
• How do members of the US public think about educational equity and assessment? An analysis of existing cultural mindsets about education, equity, learning, and assessment.
• How is the field communicating? A deep dive into trends in how advocates are currently talking about equity in education and assessment.
• Emerging recommendations: A summary of what this research means for advocates trying to use assessment to advance educational equity.

Click here to view the methods supplement