School and district leaders are under increasing pressure to ensure assessments truly support instruction, equity, and decision-making—not just compliance and reporting. Yet many systems lack clarity around assessment purpose, alignment, and how data is actually used at the classroom and leadership levels.

This checklist helps administrators quickly evaluate readiness for a balanced assessment system by examining formative, interim, and summative practices, grading policies, PLC data use, and resource planning. It provides a clear starting point for identifying gaps and prioritizing high-impact improvements using an integrated, district-wide approach.

Key Benefits

With this guide, districts can:

• Audit assessment coherence to clarify purpose, alignment, and instructional value.
• Improve data-informed decision-making at classroom, school, and district levels.
• Strengthen grading and assessment practices by distinguishing practice from performance evidence.
• Promote equity in assessment by expanding opportunities for students to demonstrate learning.
• Guide strategic planning with assessment data that informs interventions and resource allocation.

Who Should Use This Resource?

This resource is designed for:

• District administrators and central office leaders.
• School principals and instructional leadership teams.
• Curriculum, assessment, and data leadership staff.
• Districts evaluating or refining a balanced assessment system.