What characterizes Curriculum-Based Assessment?

Curriculum-Based Assessment (CBA) is characterized by its focus on evaluating student performance based on criteria that are directly aligned with the curriculum being taught. This means that the assessments used in CBA are criterion-referenced tests that incorporate items specifically derived from the actual curriculum. The goal of CBA is to measure students' understanding and mastery of the material they are being taught, providing teachers with immediate feedback on student learning and instructional effectiveness.

Using items from the actual curriculum ensures that the assessment reflects the skills and knowledge students should be acquiring in the classroom setting. It allows educators to identify strengths and weaknesses in students' understanding of the content and adjust instruction accordingly. This approach is particularly beneficial in elementary education, as it fosters a more individualized learning experience and ensures that assessments are relevant to the students' learning experiences.

In contrast, standardized measures and assessments designed solely for national comparison do not necessarily reflect the specific learning goals or content taught in a particular classroom. Randomly selected items from various subjects can result in assessments that lack direct relevance to the curriculum, potentially leading to inaccurate reflections of student achievement. Thus, the use of criterion-referenced tests based on the actual curriculum is a defining characteristic of Curriculum-Based Assessment.