What is a "value-added" assessment?

A "value-added" assessment is designed to measure student learning gains over time, which is why this choice is the correct answer. This type of assessment focuses on the progress students make in their understanding and skills, typically comparing their performance at different points in time—usually from one academic year to the next. By analyzing how much students have learned relative to their starting points, value-added assessments help educators and policymakers understand the impact of instruction on student growth.

This approach is particularly valuable as it provides insight into the effectiveness of educational interventions and teaching practices. It emphasizes the importance of longitudinal data to capture improvement, rather than a snapshot of performance at a single point in time, which is what final exam assessments might offer.

In contrast, measuring student attendance rates does not directly correlate to educational achievement or learning gains. Evaluating teaching effectiveness directly does not take into account the many factors that can influence learning, such as variations in student backgrounds or other external influences. Lastly, assessing only final exam performance fails to capture the ongoing learning process, focusing instead on a singular moment that does not reflect student growth over time.