E68|Strategic Assessment Systems with Dr. Adrea Truckenmiller and Dr. Eunsoo Cho

Dr. Adrea Truckenmiller and Dr. Eunsoo Cho discuss building a strategic assessment system in literacy education. They cover how to use data to inform reading instruction, the difference between screeners, diagnostics, curriculum based measures, and computer adaptive tests, and the importance of reliability in assessments. Common pitfalls like over-testing and teaching to the test are addressed, along with practical advice for setting up a coherent and actionable assessment framework in schools. Show Documents:Michigan Department of Education (2020). Early literacy assessment systems that support learning. Lansing, MI: Authors. https://www.michiganassessmentconsortium.org/wp-content/uploads/ELAS_Guide_2020_v5.pdfTruckenmiller, A. J., Cho, E., Bourgeois, S., & Friedman, E. (2024). Uses and Misuses of Commercial Reading Assessment: An Applied Framework for Decision Making in Grades K through 6. The Reading Teacher, 77(5), 609–623. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2274Truckenmiller, A., Coyne, M., Valentine, K., & Moura, P. (2025). Independent Researcher Review of Commercial Reading Screening Assessment Suites May 2025. https://doi.org/10.35542/osf.io/vrn3g_v1 00:00 Introduction and Welcome02:36 The Importance of a Strategic Assessment System05:25 Different Stakeholders, Different Data Needs09:50 Assessment of Learning vs. Assessment for Learning13:31 The Myth of the One Perfect Assessment17:18 Understanding Screener, Diagnostic, and Progress Monitoring Assessments28:26 CBM vs. CAT: Formats of Assessment34:42 Accuracy in Assessment: Sensitivity and Specificity38:05 Balancing Sensitivity and Specificity in Assessments39:22 Importance of Reliable Assessments40:40 Challenges of Over and Under Identification45:12 Informal Reading Inventories: Pros and Cons46:14 Modern Assessments and Their Advantages54:48 Common Pitfalls in Data Usage57:15 Over Testing and Its Implications01:00:35 Teaching to the Test: A Critical Look01:06:24 Building a Coherent Assessment System01:13:55 Optimism for the Future of Literacy Research