Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced)

WestEd is honored to serve as the Project Management Partner for the multi-state Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (Smarter Balanced) — the first collaboration of its kind building a common assessment system among a majority of states.

Smarter Balanced was awarded a four-year, $175.8 million Race to the Top assessment grant by the U.S. Department of Education to develop a multi-state student assessment system that is aligned to the Common Core State Standards, accurately measuring student progress toward college- and career-readiness.

Smarter Balanced was one of only two consortia awarded a comprehensive assessment system grant.

The Smarter Balanced team is developing an innovative system of computer-adaptive summative assessments with extended performance tasks, as well as interim assessments and a suite of formative tools and resources.

To achieve the goal that all students leave high school ready for college and career, Smarter Balanced will ensure that assessment and instruction embody the Common Core State Standards. All students — regardless of disability, language, or subgroup status — will have the opportunity to learn this valued content and show what they know and can do.

Together with technologically advanced reporting systems, the summative assessments, interim assessments, and formative tools and resources will provide student data throughout the academic year. These data will inform instruction, guide interventions, help target professional development, and ensure an accurate measure of each student's progress toward career and college readiness.

Through a four-year, $16.3 million contract, WestEd works to support Smarter Balanced through project planning, governance support, budget monitoring, and documentation.

Learn more at the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium website.