Smarter Updates

Learn more about Smarter Balanced’s latest assessment resources and releases, and updates around supports available to schools, districts, and member states.

Jhone Ebert is the superintendent of public instruction for the Nevada Department of Education.

Nevada Superintendent: Smarter Balanced System ‘Helps Us Identify Opportunity Gaps’

Jhone Ebert, State Superintendent of Public Instruction in Nevada, shared in a new K12 Dive commentary how her state uses the Smarter Balanced system of tools and resources to inform their pursuit of equitable, quality education for all students.

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Exploring Test Content is Smarter Than Ever

Smarter Content Explorer now helps educators better understand which tests assess specific learning targets, so they can select interim tests that measure precisely what they are teaching.

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A student wearing a mask calculates equations on a large white board. Text reads: "2020 in Review: Supporting Teaching and Learning During and Unprecedented Year"

Smarter Balanced Year in Review 2020

Supporting Teaching and Learning During an Unprecedented Year What a year! Looking back at 2020 comes with mixed emotions, but the truth is, Smarter Balanced made big strides in supporting educators at a time when they needed it most.   Classroom teaching became remote learning and teachers had to quickly adjust to this new reality. Together with students…

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Smarter Balanced Year in Review 2019.

Smarter Balanced Year in Review 2019

Supporting Educators and Students at a Whole New Level This was a busy year—and decade—at Smarter Balanced! We’ll ring out the “teens” invigorated by our commitment to improving learning outcomes for students. And in June, we’ll celebrate our 10th anniversary, when states and territories banded together to develop our world-class assessment system.  In 2019, we released a suite of…

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Interims + Playlists + Digital Library = Powerful Instruction. How to use assessment data to identify gaps in learning.

Interims + Playlists + Digital Library = Powerful Instruction

NOTE: The Smarter Balanced Digital Library was decommissioned. Please visit Tools for Teachers, the new home for instructional resources and professional learning. How to Use Assessment Data to Identify Gaps in Learning Elizabeth Johnston, Guest BloggerEnglish Language Arts Teacher (7th Grade) We are getting into testing season and everyone wants to make sure their kids have…

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Graphic: 5 Ways to Make Interims a Natural Part of Instruction.

5 Ways to Make Interims a Natural Part of Instruction

Elizabeth Johnston, Guest BloggerEnglish Language Arts Teacher (7th Grade)  Have you used interim assessment blocks (IABs) with your students? Do you use them as a common assessment with your team to identify student needs? Or maybe your district uses them as a tool to review student progress? Weaving interims into classroom activities is a natural way to…

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4 Ways to Use Interim Assessment Blocks in the Classroom.

4 Ways to Supercharge Learning with IABs

Tips and Tricks for Using Interim Assessment Blocks in the Classroom Interim Assessment Blocks are quick, flexible tools teachers can use with students as learning opportunities and to collect information about learning. Based on collaboration with, and feedback from, member state educators, here are the top four ways you can use IABs to give learning…

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Image of Michelle Dean.

Three Tips for Getting Started with IABs

Bite-size advice on using Interim Assessment Blocks from a district that made it happen Michelle Dean, Director of Curriculum and Professional Development at Lyme Consolidated School District in Connecticut, worked with educators in her district to implement the Smarter Balanced system of assessments over the past two years. She offers these words of wisdom for…

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Image of a girl sitting at a desk smiling at the camera.

Interim Comprehensive Assessments (ICAs) Provide Early Detection of College and Career Readiness

Educators can now use ICAs more effectively in Grades 9 & 10 with the release of new cut scores Interim Comprehensive Assessments (ICAs) — one component of the complete assessment system — allow teachers to check student progress toward college and career readiness throughout the year. With new cut scores, or achievement levels, in grades 9 and…

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