This chapter takes our streamlining process one step further. Because we do not want to wait until the end of a chapter or a unit to give a test to see how students are doing, we must look at ways to collect data along the way. As we defined earlier, assessment does not refer to a single event in time. It is data collected over time that paints a picture of student progress and ultimately student success. This step of the process proposes ways in which to paint that picture using tools that are already somewhat familiar to uso

There is one important caveat. Although we may use familiar systems to collect data to systems you may have used in the past, these systems have been altered and refined to better serve formative assessment purposes. It is essential that educators do not overgeneralize these tools and slide into a pattern of using them the way they used to. One must approach these strategies with assessment in mind. They are to be used to collect evidence of student ability and performance. We are going to ask ourselves the question, "What evidence demonstrates what students know and are able to do?" And we are going to collect that information through a wide array of tools, including assignments, rubrics and scoring guides, goal-tracking sheets, verification logs, evidence collections, exit slips, and checklists.