While assessment in the United States has focused largely on “bubbling in” answers on multiple-choice tests, educators are searching for better, more authentic, and higher quality assessment tools that measure the complex thinking necessary for success in our modern world. Scaling up performance assessment requires high-quality tools and content.

With this in mind, two research and practice centers at Stanford Graduate School of Education recently launched the Performance Assessment Resource Bank (PARB) – an online resource for K-12 teachers, administrators, and policy makers.

The new website _ by Understanding Language-Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity (UL-SCALE) and the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education (SCOPE) in collaboration with the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) _ is designed to serve as a platform for sharing high-quality performance assessments and resources curated from educators and organizations nationwide. 

It includes performance assessment tasks and support resources for designing a system of assessment and building educator assessment literacy and capabilities, all focused on deeper and more meaningful learning.

"Educators need higher quality assessment tools that measure the complex thinking necessary for success in our modern world. That’s why we’re launching the Performance Assessment Resource Bank,” said Linda Darling-Hammond, the Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Emerita at Stanford. 

She continued: “It features free high-quality performance assessments and resources vetted by experts at the Stanford Center for Assessment, Learning and Equity and the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education. This innovative approach provides an expanding resource base through community collaboration and sharing, all focused on more meaningful learning.”

This innovative approach provides a growing resource base through community collaboration and sharing features that will support an expanding network of performance assessment content developers. Assessment resources, initially created by experts, will grow in breadth and depth because the site enables educators to work together, adapt, pilot, and provide feedback on existing tools, contribute new content, and build a performance assessment community.

The website, now in its nationwide rollout, features:

• Free, open access.
• A growing library of high quality performance tasks, portfolio frameworks, learning progressions, research, and other assessment resources, all developed by educators and organizations and vetted by experts trained by UL-SCALE at Stanford University.
• Personalized dashboards with saved resources for each community member.
• A user rating system to guide content selection and facilitate continuous improvement of content.
• The ability for registered users to share resources via email, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.