Which assessment is commonly used to evaluate a student's academic progress?

Standardized testing, including state assessments and standardized college entrance exams like the SAT or ACT, is widely utilized to assess students' academic progress. These assessments are designed to provide an objective measure of student performance across different schools and districts, allowing for comparisons over time and across various populations. They help educators, policymakers, and parents gain insights into students' academic abilities in relation to established standards, which can inform instructional strategies and resource allocation.

Standardized tests are typically structured to evaluate a range of skills and knowledge, which contributes to a holistic view of a student's academic performance. They can indicate areas where a student excels or may need additional support, ultimately guiding educational interventions and fostering more personalized learning experiences. This type of assessment is critical in the educational landscape as it aids in accountability and ensures the measurement of student outcomes at a broad level.

In contrast, while teacher-created quizzes and tests, performance reviews by teachers, and parent-teacher conferences may provide important insights into a student's academic abilities and progress, they often lack the standardized nature and broader context that standardized testing offers. These other assessments can be more subjective and may not be consistently applied across different students or classrooms, which can limit their effectiveness in evaluating overall academic progress on a larger scale.