Overview of the Balanced Assessment Plan

We believe...

• Excellence in education is paramount to the success of the City of Manassas.

• We believe decisions must be driven by research, current best practices, a continual cycle of data analysis, and responsive decision-making.

• We believe student learning must include opportunities for critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creativity, citizenship, and literacy.

• We believe students will reach their full potential through intentional planning and high-quality instruction.

• We believe every student and educator will have a safe and emotionally supportive learning and working environment.

A balanced approach to assessment ensures accurate monitoring of student learning and supports the MCPS vision that each graduate will be prepared to maximize their potential as a member of the global community. The purpose of assessment is to inform students of their level of learning, communicate to parents their child's level of performance, and to provide teachers with actionable information to inform and differentiate instruction.

MCPS believes in a balanced assessment philosophy, which uses a wide variety of assessments before, during, and after instruction. Each division-wide assessment has a clear purpose that aligns with the standards taught and produces data in a timely manner so teams can quickly transform data into actionable information.