Giving assessments as a teacher is inevitable.  Although we dislike giving them, they provide helpful data and information that can drive our instruction.  We know that there are many different types of assessments:  formative, summative, exit tickets, etc.  Then there are also running records, guided reading assessments, benchmark assessments.  The list can go on and on.  Out of all of these assessments, which ones are the best to use?  Now, I can’t tell you to use this program or this exact text BUT I can give you three important factors to look at when evaluating reading assessments.  Here are three factors to look for in a strong reading assessment: I’ve been around the teaching world long enough to know there isn’t such a thing as