Instruments
Advanced Placement (AP) US Government and Politics
The Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. Government and Politics test asseses high school students enrolled in the relevant AP course on their understanding of political concepts, including, for example, their ability to analyze foundational documents and apply SCOTUS decisions to real life scenarios.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Civics
Grades: 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Assessing School Settings: Interactions of Students and Teachers (ASSIST)
The Assessing School Settings: Interactions of Students and Teachers observational measure (ASSIST) is a classroom observation instrument that rates social processes occurring in the classroom. The instrument was initially developed to evaluate students' and teachers' behaviors using the Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS), however, recent updates have primarily focused on teachers. Teachers' behaviors are rated through event‐based tallies and global ratings. The measure has been used to evaluate the effects of school-wide interventions, and the relationship between teacher and student behaviors.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
The Classroom Assessment Scoring System™ (CLASS™) is an observational instrument developed to assess instructional quality in PK-12 classrooms. It is a tool for analyzing the quality of teacher-student interactions in the classroom by capturing multiple dimensions of teaching that are linked to student achievement and development. It produces qualitative ratings of teacher performance on a scale from 1-7 across three broad domains: emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Classroom Observation of Early Mathematics - Environment and Teaching (COEMET)
COEMET is a classroom observation instrument that evaluates classroom culture and the use of specific math activities. It includes questions about how actively the teacher interacts with the children, how the teacher uses teachable math moments, how math is displayed in the physical environment of the room, how confident the teacher appears about math, etc. The specific math activities measured are not connected to a specific curriculum.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade
Classroom Practices Inventory (CPI)
The Classroom Practices Inventory is a classroom observation measure for early childhood classrooms. It is designed to assess the developmental appropriateness of classroom and curricular practices, teachers actions, children's activities, and teacher-child interactions.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: < 3 Years, Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten
Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation Toolkit (ELLCO)
The Early Language & Literacy Classroom Observation Toolkit (ELLCO) is a classroom observation measure that assesses the quality of the classroom environment and teacher practices across five key elements: classroom structure, curriculum, the language environment, books and book reading opportunities, and print and early writing support. The measure is primarily designed for administrators and teachers of preschool and early elementary classrooms to use for professional development and program improvement.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade
Florida Civics EOC Assessment
The Florida Civics End-of-Course (EOC) Assessment is required for all Florida public school students taking the required civics course in the middle grades, mostly commonly in Grade 7. The test assesses students' understanding of the origins and purposes of the U.S. political system and government, responsibilitiies of the U.S. citizen, functions and organization of the government, and contemporary issues in world affairs.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Civics
Grades: 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade
Geometry Assessments for Secondary Teachers (GAST) Classroom Observation Tool
The Geometry Assessments for Secondary Teachers (GAST) Classroom Observation Tool classifies the teaching moves and instructional tasks of teachers according to cognitive demand. It is designed for use specifically within math lessons focused on similarity, congruence, surface area, and volume. It can be used by teacher educators and researchers to identify the quality of math instruction within this domain.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
HEIghten Civic Competency Assessment
The HEIghten Civic Comeptency and Engagement Assessment evaluates college students' learning. It particularly analyzes their knowledge of civic practices and institutions, skills in understanding civic-related situations, and attitudes of engagement. The civic competency portion is 30 questions
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Civics
Grades: Post secondary
Instructional Quality Assessment (IQA)
The Instructional Quality Assessment (IQA) is a classroom observation instrument that rates the nature and quality of classroom instruction by considering students’ opportunities to engage in cognitively demanding mathematical work and discussions. The IQA uses the following elements to assess instruction: potential of the task, task implementation, rigor of the discussion, teacher’s questions, and accountable talk.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
Mathematical Quality of Instruction (MQI)
The Mathematical Quality of Instruction (MQI) is a Common Core-aligned observational rubric that provides a framework for analyzing mathematics instruction. Observers rate instruction across five domains: common core-aligned student practices; working with students and mathematics; richness of mathematics; errors and imprecision; and, classroom work. Although originally designed for research use, the MQI can be used as a tool to support teachers' professional development.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Missouri Higher Education Civics Examination
The Missouri Higher Education Civics Examination is required for all undergraduates enrolled in a Missouri two-year or four-year college on or after July 1, 2019. It consists of 50 questions and assesses students' knowledge on the U.S. Constitution, U.S. Bill of Rights, governmental institutions, historical manifestations of federalism, and the history of constitutional interpretation and amendments.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Civics
Grades: Post secondary
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) - Civics
NAEP Civics measures civic knowledge and skills related to the responsibilities of citizenship. It is congressionally mandated and administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Currently, NAEP Civics is administered only to Grade 8 students. In the past, the assessment was also administered to Grade 4 and Grade 12 students.
Category: Academic Knowledge and Skills
Sub-Category: Civics
Grades: 8th Grade
Protocol for Language Arts Teaching Observation (PLATO)
The Protocol for Language Arts Teaching Observations (PLATO) is a classroom observation protocol designed to evaluate thirteen elements of English Language Arts (ELA) instruction. It was originally developed for a study of the relationship between teachers' classroom practices and their impact on student achievement. It is currently being used as a professional development tool to support teachers' use of rigorous, research-based teaching practices. PLATO is designed to work across a variety of curricula and instructional approaches.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade
Survey of Teacher Practice (STeP)
STeP is a tool that allows instructors to be evaluated by their students across a set of categories identified as critical for effective classroom instruction. Two optional open-ended questions are also included at the end allowing students to provide additional input that may not be fully captured in the body of the survey.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade
The Science Management Observation Protocol (SMOP)
The Science Management Observation Protocol (SMOP) is used to conduct structured observations of science classroom practice. SMOP identifies specific teacher behaviors and classroom characteristics which influence an inquiry-based classroom. Teachers and administrators can use the protocol to support the development of quality inquiry-based practices.
Category: Schooling
Sub-Category: Teaching
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade, 11th Grade, 12th Grade