Basic Considerations
The primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning. Information
gathered through assessment helps teachers to determine students’ strengths and weaknesses in
their achievement of the curriculum expectations in each subject in each grade. This information
also serves to guide teachers in adapting curriculum and instructional approaches to students’
needs and in assessing the overall effectiveness of programs and classroom practices.
Assessment is the process of gathering information from a variety of sources (including assignments,
day-to-day observations and conversations/conferences, demonstrations, projects, performances,
and tests) that accurately reflects how well a student is achieving the curriculum
expectations in a subject. As part of assessment, teachers provide students with descriptive
feedback that guides their efforts towards improvement. Evaluation refers to the process of
judging the quality of student work on the basis of established criteria, and assigning a value to
represent that quality. In Ontario elementary schools, the value assigned will be in the form of
a letter grade for Grades 1 to 6 and a percentage grade for Grades 7 and 8.
Assessment and evaluation will be based on the provincial curriculum expectations and the
achievement levels outlined in this document.
In order to ensure that assessment and evaluation are valid and reliable, and that they lead to
the improvement of student learning, teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies
that:
• address both what students learn and how well they learn;
• are based both on the categories of knowledge and skills and on the achievement level
descriptions given in the achievement chart on pages 22–23;
• are varied in nature, administered over a period of time, and designed to provide opportunities
for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning;
• are appropriate for the learning activities used, the purposes of instruction, and the needs
and experiences of the students;
• are fair to all students;
• accommodate the needs of exceptional students, consistent with the strategies outlined in
their Individual Education Plan;
• accommodate the needs of students who are learning the language of instruction (English
or French);
• ensure that each student is given clear directions for improvement;
• promote students’ ability to assess their own learning and to set specific goals;
• include the use of samples of students’ work that provide evidence of their achievement;
• are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the school year and at
other appropriate points throughout the year.