ABSTRACT
Authentic assessment can be defined in numerous ways, for a variety of purposes, and communicate a range of meanings. A quick investigation using the Microsoft Word dictionary feature generates the following definition for “authentic”: 1) not false or copied, 2) trustworthy, and 3) valid, with synonyms “genuine” and “real.” Several of these words are commonly used in defense of standardized assessments, which lends support to the argument that authentic assessments and standardized assessments are complementary practices, working in the shared interest of identifying what young children know and can do.
