ABSTRACT
In section three of the book, five sets of authors address a range of compelling issues related to culturally responsive assessment and grading practices. Three of the chapters are more theoretical, presenting frameworks for approaching the creation of culturally responsive assessments, and two describe efforts in the field. One of these field reports is a tightly focused, classroom-based study of the implementation of two formative assessments in science; the other describes the multi-year development of an alternative system of accountability based on Native Hawaiian values and practices to be used by 17 Hawaiian-Focused Charter Schools.
Our commentary pulls from these chapters to identify themes in culturally responsive assessment. We suggest an additional topic or theme that we believe is crucial—the role of language in the assessment process. This topic has evidently been regarded as the purview of specialists and is relevant primarily to English learners. But, it is relevant to all learners, as we show, and it needs to be addressed through whatever professional development educators can gain access to. The five chapters constitute rich food for thought and also remind us of the vast challenges that lie in reaching a goal of widely implemented culturally responsive assessment and grading practices.
