Examines the elements of educative, or learning-centered, assessment; presents a logical order and criteria for considering assessment design elements; and looks at the implications of the design work.

Chapter 1: Educative assessment: a vision --Part one: Essential elements of assessment -- Chapter 2: Ensuring authentic performance -- Chapter 3: Providing ongoing feedback -- Chapter 4: Promoting student understanding -- Part two: Designing assessments -- Chapter 5: Standards and criteria -- Chapter 6: Individual performance tasks -- Chapter 7: Scoring rubrics -- Part three: Applications and implications -- Chapter 8: Portfolio as evidence -- Chapter 9: Curriculum and instruction -- Chapter 10: Grading and reporting -- Chapter 11: Teaching and accountability -- Part four: Changing the system -- Chapter 12: Feasibility: real and imagined -- Chapter 13: Next steps.