ABSTRACT
This is the second of two chapters that address the topic of assessment in mathematics education. The chapter begins with an examination of the NCTM assessment standards from 1995—a list of six benchmarks that can be used by teachers and administrators to design appropriate assessments. In Principles to Actions (2014), NCTM discussed the assessment principle, which is examined in the next section of the chapter. An explanation of equity and how assessment practices can contribute to equitable teaching and learning for all students is described. The second half of the chapter addresses the practical concerns of assessing and evaluating performance in the mathematics classroom. Homework assignments, including the reasons why homework is assigned and how to grade student work, are explained, with implications for how to use the results of homework assignments to drive future instruction. Finally, the chapter examines the process of maintaining and determining final grades in a mathematics course, including the practical issues of setting up a grade book and deciding the weight of various assessments in determining a student’s grade in a class.
