Available Assessment Types – SchoolCity

Users are able to create a variety of assessment types within the application. This article provides an overview of the different types of assessments that can be created within the Manage Assessments module.

From the Top Menu Bar Grid icon, click the Assessments tile.
- Or, from the Launchpad, click the ASSESSMENTS flip card to reveal the reverse side available assessment options. Select the Create Assessments option.

Once the Manage Assessments module opens, click Create Assessments and select the assessment type (e.g., Answer Key Only (AKO), Item Bank (IB), Performance Based, ExamView (EV), etc.) that you want to create.

Assessment Types

Assessment Type	Key Features
Answer Key Only (AKO)	An Answer Key Only Assessment allows the user to create an answer sheet for an existing assessment. Users can align items to standards as well as use a variety of item types.
	Students can take the AKO Assessment online in the Student Portal using an online answer sheet, provided a PDF of the assessment test booklet has been uploaded.
	Students can also take the assessment on paper using a scannable answer sheet. The answer sheets can be scored by using Scan or GradeCam™ technology.
	Teachers may also enter student answers on an online answer sheet after administering the assessment on paper.
ExamView (EV)	An ExamView Assessment allows the user to create a publisher’s assessment in ExamView, and import it using Blackboard 7.1 or higher.
ExamView (EV)	Students may take the assessment online in the Student Portal or on paper using a scannable answer sheet. The answer sheets can be scored by using Scan or GradeCam™ technology.
Express (EX)	An Express Assessment allows the user to create an answer sheet for an existing assessment that is not aligned to content standards.
	Students can take the Express Assessment online in the Student Portal using an online answer sheet, providing a PDF of the assessment has been uploaded.
	Students can also take the assessment on paper using a scannable answer sheet. The answer sheets can be scored by using Scan or GradeCam™ technology.
	Teachers may also enter student answers on an online answer sheet, after administering the assessment on paper.
Item Bank (IB)	Item Bank Assessments allow the user to select items from a repository of electronically available test questions and package those items together to form an assessment.
	Item banks have a wide selection of technology enhanced item types (TEIs) that can only be administered online in the Student Portal.
	With limited item types, students can also take the assessment on paper using a scannable answer sheet. The answer sheets can be scored by using Scan or GradeCam™ technology.
Performance Based (PB)	A Performance Based A+ Assessment allows the user to create a scoring grid for a performance based test.
	It can include assessment objectives (or sub-scores) and be aligned to content standards.
	Students are assessed on the performance task using a variety of scoring methods. Scores are then manually entered into the scoring grid for data analysis.

What type of assessment should I use and when?

Use case for Answer Key Only (AKO):

You already have assessments made in either hard or digital format and want to score the assessment in order to view the associated reports. The AKO accommodates seven item types: Constructed Response, Evidence Based Selected Response, Multiple Choice, Multiple Response, Multiple Binary, Numerical Response, and Short Answer.

Use case for ExamView (EV):

You have assessments associated with your textbooks or publishers that you wish to administer in order to quickly score and view the reports associated with your assessment. You must use Blackboard 7.1 or higher in order to import an ExamView assessment.

Use case for Express (EX):

For those quick assessments for which you do not need to align standards; for example, those quick “ticket out the door” quizzes with 5 questions or less that let you know if your students grasped the day’s lesson. The Express assessment accommodates seven item types: Constructed Response, Evidence Based Selected Response, Multiple Choice, Multiple Response, Multiple Binary, Numerical Response, and Short Answer.

Use case for Item Bank (IB):

when you want to create a new assessment using items from a purchased Item Bank, or using items and passages you have created. If your district has purchased one or more Item Banks, you have access to thousands of items, including Technology-Enhanced Items (TEIs) associated with your grade and four main content areas English Language Arts, Math, History/Social Studies, and Science. In addition, you can create your own items and store them in your personal item banks to use with your Item Bank assessments.

Use case for Performance Based (PB):

Create an assessment to gauge students’ performance on performance task assessments. You have the option to include standards and/or objectives (sub-scores) in the Assessment. Including them allows for more reporting options after the test results have been entered. Objectives are not lesson objectives about what students should be able to do at the end of the lesson. Instead, assessment objectives are the aspects of the assessment that would be scored separately. For example, on a writing performance based assessment, the student may be scored on the introduction, evidence/support, word choice, organization, fluency, etc., based on a rubric. This is also an effective choice for primary grades where foundation skills are tested on a regular basis.