ABSTRACT
The process and practice of assessment in American institutions reflect conceptual schemes deeply rooted in the competition of material capitalism, efficiency models of production, and a conservative ideology with lingering theoretical ties to positivism and behaviorism. As a result of this state of affairs, efforts to improve educational outcomes for children are mired in a discourse of accountability under a banner of intellectual meritocracy that glosses complex and situated realities (Apple, 2001). This text has offered both a theoretical tool to reframe assessment issues and a practical guide of basic design principles focused on urban settings. Case studies of university-school partnership efforts and activities in preparing and evaluating developing urban teachers provide illustrations of assessment-in-action. This chapter attempts to highlight a few conceptual strands in these reflected accounts of practice.
