"This book is extremely helpful in the use of assessments. It can be useful to both new and veteran teachers. Parents want to know how their students are progressing in school, and these types of assessments can help a teacher answer that question." (Arlene Myslinski, ESL Teacher 2005-09-20)
"Ainsworth and Viegut skillfully weave connections between the works of contemporary researchers to help guide school leaders and teachers through the development of meaningful formative assessments that will make a positive difference for student achievement." (Catherine Payne, Principal 2005-09-19)
"This book is a must-have for teachers and administrators alike. In this age of accountability, it is extremely helpful to have a resource that helps explain assessment practices, disaggregation of data, and the importance of unwrapping the standards. This is a perfect resource for faculty study groups and staff development for educators in grades K-12." (Susan Stone Kessler, Assistant Principal 2005-09-25)
"At a time when teachers are being relentlessly pressured to improve students' scores on accountability tests, Ainsworth and Viegut offer Common Formative Assessments as a powerful way of coping with accountability while helping kids learn. This important book lays out a game plan for coming up with an educationally defensible response to today's score-boosting pressures." (W. James Popham, Emeritus Professor 2005-10-14)
"In this era of high-stakes testing, this book conveys the power of formative assessments as a means of improving student achievement by providing educators with specific and timely information they can use to plan instruction. It puts teachers on the road to becoming competent diagnosticians, an invaluable skill as we strive to close the achievement gap." (Nancy Stark, Education Manager of School Improvement and Literacy 2005-10-09)
"Highly recommended―Ainsworth and Viegut have written a clear and helpful guide to navigating the terrain of instruction, assessment, and standards." (Mike Schmoker, Author, Speaker, and Consultant 2005-10-18)
“Common Formative Assessments provides a superb antidote to the 'over-tested and under-assessed' dilemma. With the practical advice of career educators and the deep insights of one of the nation’s premier professional developers, the authors will help you save time, streamline analysis, avoid unnecessary and pointless busywork and, most importantly, improve student achievement.”
(From the Foreword by Douglas B. Reeves 2005-10-26)
"A powerful resource. The authors clarify the terminology of assessment with painstaking precision and offer specific, practical steps to help educators develop their assessment literacy." (Richard DuFour, Author and Educational Consultant 2006-04-26)
"The authors have provided school administrators with some useful guidelines to follow in structuring professional development activities centered on aligning what teachers are teaching to important content standards and assessment objectives." (Teachers College Record, June 2006 2008-04-24)
