Science Assessment Task Screening Tools

These two tools are intended to assist educators in evaluating science assessment tasks to determine whether they are designed for three-dimensional science standards based on the Framework for K–12 Science Education, such as the Next Generation Science Standards.

The Science Task Prescreen can be used to conduct a quick review of assessment tasks to identify any “red flags” – challenges commonly found in science assessment tasks – and determine whether a task is worth diving into more deeply.

The Science Task Screener is used to take that deeper dive into evaluating science assessment tasks. The purpose of the Science Task Screener is

  1. to determine whether classroom assessment tasks are high quality, designed to elicit evidence of three-dimensional performances, and designed to support the purpose for which they will be used; and
  2. to provide a group of reviewers with a common set of features to ground conversations about what it “looks like” for students to demonstrate the kinds of performances expected by three-dimensional standards.

The Screener builds off the criteria in Category III of the EQuIP Rubric for Science by more clearly specifying features for the assessment tasks embedded in lessons and units.

An FAQ about the Science Task Prescreen and Screener is available here

If you have questions or are interested in professional development opportunities related to evaluating science assessment tasks, please contact nextgenscience@wested.org.