Student Assessment

Dr. Dylan Wiliam is emeritus professor of educational assessment at the UCL Institute of Education. He started his career teaching in urban London schools before transitioning to educational research. He was dean of the School of Education at King’s College London, senior research director at the Educational Testing Service in Princeton, US, and deputy director of the Institute of Education, University of London. His research has focused on the use of assessment to support learning (sometimes called formative assessment), and he now works with groups of teachers all over the world on developing formative assessment practices. Dylan’s recent books include Creating the Schools Our Children Need and Embedded Formative Assessment.

Douglas Fisher is professor and chair of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Doug was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. He is a credentialed teacher and leader in California. In 2022, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame by the Literacy Research Association. He has published widely on literacy, quality instruction, and assessment, as well as books such as Welcome to Teaching, PLC+, Teaching Students to Drive their Learning, and Student Assessment: Better Evidence, Better Decisions, Better Learning.

Nancy Frey is professor of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Nancy was a teacher, academic coach, and central office resource coordinator in Florida. She is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California. She is a member of the International Literacy Association’s Literacy Research Panel. She has published widely on literacy, quality instruction, and assessment, as well as books such as The Artificial Intelligences Playbook, How Scaffolding Works, How Teams Work, and The Vocabulary Playbook.

Student Assessment is a text that is the definition of pioneering and leading the way for a better future for education with our students at the forefront. Innovative, restorative, and enriching, this text is one that will be utilized for many more decades to come. -- Daruis Phelps

Frey, Fisher, and Wilam are the education research equivalent of the Marvel Avengers, righteously standing up for all that is good for student achievement and success. In Student Assessment: Better Evidence, Better Decision, Better Learning they have applied their many years of research into a logical and easily approachable book, so that any teacher can implement timely formative assessment to impact student achievement. -- Brian Deller

Rarely does a book come along from authors who are renowned researchers and also practitioners deep in the work. The authors collective insights provide the perfect balance for a book that thoughtfully illustrates assessment as the bridge between effective teaching and learning. This book provides practical, actionable examples for busy practitioners! -- Dr. Angela Lyon Hinton

This book is a practical reminder of WHY we should use assessment in our classrooms and HOW we can quickly yet effectively assess our students using a variety of strategies. This refreshing read is applicable to any educator, in any classroom. -- Alisa Barrett

Student Assessment: Better Evidence, Better Decision, Better Learning is an excellent resource that provides a comprehensive exploration of assessment practices. This book goes beyond the ordinary, offering valuable insights for dedicated teachers and forward-thinking administrators. It equips readers with additional knowledge and tools needed to enhance the quality of assessments, leading to better decisions and, ultimately, better learning outcomes for students. If you are committed to advancing education and seeing a transformative guide to assessment, this book is an absolute must-read.-- Kelly Jensen

Wiliam, Fisher and Frey show how student assessment data should support decisions that help teachers teach and students learn-and they provide a variety of practical examples of assessment tools and procedures from real classrooms. Its the combination of the two that makes the book so compelling. -- Professor Emerita