How does EMC Standard 1 address assessment literacy?

• A. Rely on a single reading test to guide all decisions.
• B. Teachers select and interpret multiple measures to diagnose reading/writing needs, set goals, monitor progress, and adjust instruction.
• C. Avoid setting goals based on assessments.
• D. Use only qualitative notes without data.

Answer: (B)

Assessment literacy in EMC Standard 1 means teachers gather and interpret a variety of evidence of a student’s reading and writing, not rely on a single score. When teachers select and interpret multiple measures—such as progress-monitoring probes, running records, reading inventories, writing samples, observations, and rubrics—they can diagnose specific needs, set meaningful goals, track progress over time, and adjust instruction accordingly. Literacy development spans decoding, fluency, comprehension, and writing quality, so a fuller picture comes from diverse data sources. Using multiple measures helps ensure goals are realistic and data-informed, guides grouping and differentiation, and shows whether interventions are working. Relying on one test, avoiding goal-setting, or relying only on qualitative notes without data misses the essential practice of making instructional decisions grounded in evidence.