Using Authentic Assessments in Urban Middle School Settings

Today in urban education, schools are forced to keep up and compete with students nationally with high-stake testing. Standardized tests are often bias in nature and often do not measure the true ability of a student. Conventional testing also distorts educational goals. Therefore, using authentic assessments can provide an alternative way to measure what students know. Authentic assessment brings change to curriculum and instruction. It enhances development for students while redefining the curriculum. It provides stakeholders which may include parents, students, administrators, and community members with evidence of learning too. This analysis should help shed some light on how to promote urban middle school students' learning using alternative assessments.