
Developing Modern Assessments for Today’s Learners
Collaborating to design research-based assessments for informed decision-making and improved outcomes
High-quality assessments measure how education systems are performing, reveal where instruction is working or needs support, and connect students with the resources they need to thrive.
WestEd collaborates with educators and decision-makers to develop measurement solutions that reflect your goals and are grounded in research and practice. Our work spans early childhood through postsecondary and includes both traditional assessments (observational, formative, interim, and summative) and modern approaches such as through-course models and AI-powered tools.
Our Capacities
We are a trusted partner for designing assessments that measure what matters. All our assessments are of high quality; they are valid, fair, and grounded in research. They support the full range of intended uses, from formative to summative, with traditional to modern designs.
Featured Project
Early Childhood Assessment Services
WestEd supports the development of reliable and developmentally appropriate early learning assessments from birth through age 8. We are a trusted partner to states and districts seeking assessments that inform instruction, identify needs early, and reflect how young children grow and learn.
Featured Project
Literacy and Reading Assessment
We support high-quality literacy assessment that spans foundational skills and comprehension, helping identify students who need additional support and providing valid, actionable information to guide instruction and improve outcomes across grade levels.
We conduct rigorous validity studies, design and evaluate AI-driven assessment systems and scoring models, and apply modern methods in equating, standard setting, score reporting, and learner modeling to ensure fairness and defensibility.
Featured Project
Psychometric Assessment Services
WestEd serves as a trusted psychometric partner to state agencies, districts, and assessment providers, helping ensure results are fair, defensible, and meaningful across programs, platforms, and evolving educational contexts.
Featured Project
NAEP Assessment Framework Update
We contributed expertise to update the Mathematics, Reading, and Science frameworks for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), helping ensure that future NAEP assessments reflect what students know and provide essential data to guide national education policy and improvement.
We help educators build the knowledge and skills needed to choose and create high-quality assessment tools and strategies and to understand and use the information these assessments provide to improve instruction and student learning.
Featured Project
Assessment Literacy Workshops
Our tailored assessment literacy workshops, and accompanying tools and materials, help educators and administrators evaluate different assessment tools for different purposes—and best use the results to improve student learning.
Featured Project
Formative Insights: Assessment for Learning
Our professional learning experiences for teachers model and integrate key elements of formative assessment. We support teacher learning by integrating key practices related to effective formative assessment, such as helping teachers and students develop daily learning goals, collecting and using evidence to monitor those goals, and engaging in peer learning.
We work closely with education agencies to ensure their assessment systems align with academic standards and accountability expectations. Our team supports system design, interest holder engagement, and compliance to strengthen coherence across policies and practices.
Featured Project
Center for Standards, Assessment, and Accountability (CSAA)
CSAA delivers tools and expertise to strengthen assessment and accountability systems across jurisdictions, ensuring they not only meet policy requirements but also support meaningful learning for all students.
Featured Project
Designing High-Quality Assessment Solutions
We ensure that new and existing assessments align with instructional goals and accountability frameworks while also providing actionable insights that support educators and help learners succeed.
From focus groups and cognitive labs to codesign with students and educators, we aim to create assessments that reflect real experiences; support student and teacher engagement; and produce valid, actionable results.
Featured Project
Training Generative AI to Reflect Learners in Your State
WestEd is studying how generative AI can support the creation of assessment content that is engaging and relevant assessment. Early findings suggest that models enriched with student context can produce higher quality passage sets.
Featured Project
Framework for Representative Assessment Development
WestEd partnered with a state department of education to pilot a practical framework for developing assessments that reflect students’ experiences. The framework provides tools and guidance to support relevant, engaging, and instructionally valuable content.

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More Related to This Focus Area
Featured Services and Projects
Center for Standards, Assessment, and Accountability
Psychometric Assessment Services
Assessment Literacy Workshops
Designing High-Quality Assessment Solutions
Early Childhood Assessment Services
NAEP Assessment Framework Update
Insights & Impact
Resources
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