Reviewing research on parent attitudes towards school assessment : implications for classroom assessment practices

This paper systematically reviews literature exploring parent understandings of and attitudes towards school assessment practices. It examines the extent to which data agree that parents support standardized testing and the use of more traditional assessment and reporting practices. As these assumptions are often used to justify a public assessment policies (e.g., use of high-stakes testing), some which undermine Assessment for Learning principles and practices, what parents believe must be more thoroughly investigated to help identify the best course of action to get parents and community stakeholders to support assessment practices most beneficial for learning. The review found parents generally supported teacher judgements and new assessment practices once they were educated about them; implications for research and practice are discussed.