Member Benefits
How to Join
En Espanol
Resources on Standards and Assessments
The AFT believes that if implemented carefully and with the needed supports and resources, the Common Core State Standards will help improve education for all students. In order to address this need, the Common Core Resource Kit was developed—designed to provide teachers with a deeper understanding to meet this change. This brochure offers details on each module available. For more information on this training, contact edissues@aft.org.
This AFT resource is intended to serve as a tool that will assist leaders and advocates in their implementation efforts by providing guidance that can drive the development of a high-quality implementation plan. This tool can help determine whether the district's current implementation efforts address critical components of a high-quality implementation plan, whether critical components of implementation are missing, and whether implementation efforts support goals that are aligned with current reform efforts in the district or state.
This brochure discusses the AFT position on the Common Core State Standards, how the AFT plans to support the implementation of the standards, and recommended resources. (May 2013)
This tool, developed with strong input from teachers, is intended to assist those that serve on state or local curriculum framework committees and on local textbook adoption committees by providing guidance to drive the development of curricula and instructional resources that facilitate real and significant improvements in teaching and learning. It is important that the people who use this tool be familiar with the Common Core standards before they begin to examine materials, or to develop curriculum or curriculum frameworks. (November 2012)
This tool, developed with strong input from teachers, is intended to assist those that serve on state or local curriculum framework committees and on local textbook adoption committees by providing guidance to drive the development of curricula and instructional resources that facilitate real and significant improvements in teaching and learning. It is important that the people who use this tool be familiar with the Common Core standards before they begin to examine materials, or to develop curriculum or curriculum frameworks. (November 2012)
If we are to achieve the promise of the standards movement, we need to understand the demands of standards-based instruction and develop the capacity of every classroom teacher to carry it out effectively. Learn about the key differences between standards-based and traditional instructional planning in this paper prepared for the AFT by Kate Jamentz, Director of Professional and Organizational Learning at WestEd. (May 2003, Reprinted June 2009)
In this brochure, the AFT advocates on behalf of teachers and their students for sound assessment policies and practices that are aligned to standards and curriculum. 8 pages. (June 2008)
Since 1995, the AFT has tracked states' efforts to implement strong academic standards. This 2008 report finds that while states have made progress over the past decade, more work remains to ensure all students are exposed to knowledge-rich, comprehensive standards in every grade. (March 2008)
This article describes what a Smart Testing program looks like in Norfolk, Via. Norfolk is an AFT award-winning local where testing is directly integrated into teaching and learning and where data use is the norm. 4 pages. (March 2007).
Written by Paul Barton and published by the AFT, this report argues that our country has drifted into the accountability systems in use today, either under individual state laws or as mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. Documenting how this drift occurred, this report makes the claim that today’s accountability systems too often don’t accurately identify school effectiveness. The paper describes how these accountability systems not only fall short of the intentions of the law—whether state or federal—but also may lead to misidentifications with huge consequences for schools, teachers and students. (September 2006)
According to this new report on statewide testing released by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), most states have made progress in developing clear grade-by-grade standards, but many have not aligned their high-stakes math, reading and science tests with a strong set of content standards, which leads to a distorted picture of how students, schools and teachers are performing. (July 2006)
The AFT developed a set of criteria for members and others to use in developing or reviewing student achievement standards. The criteria offers a clear vision to educators and policymakers at all levels of what useful standards should look like. (June 2003).
This booklet contains resolutions on standards and assessments passed at the 2002 AFT convention. Also included are a question-and-answer section, background information, and background reading. (June 2003)
The AFT was the lead organization for a Department of Labor-funded project to define skill standards for paraprofessionals. This research-based document provides criteria on job duties, skills and knowledge and performance standards for the work of paraprofessionals in general education, special education and early childhood programs. (2003)
In this 2001 plenary speech at AFT’s biennial QuEST professional development conference, Mari Pearlman, of ETS, describes the role teachers can play in improving the development of tests and provides suggestions for teachers to use data in the classroom to help inform instruction. 11 pages (July 2001).
The report of the AFT's Committee on Paraprofessional Certification provides an overview of the AFT’s position on the role and responsibilities of instructional paraprofessionals and the skills and knowledge required to do this important work. (1998)