Assessment in Music Education

This chapter provides the reader with a practical perspective and working knowledge of the process by which the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and the Colorado Music Educators Association (CMEA) developed performance assessments sample resource options in response to the need to measure student learning in the music classroom. This process, along with the ongoing bank of performance tasks developed via the Colorado Content Collaboratives partnership, is reviewed and placed in perspective within the current Colorado educational landscape as well as the intersection with the CDE Sample Curriculum Project and the Assessment Literacy Program. In this manner, one method for developing reliable and valid measures of student learning is presented for consideration. Finally, the use of these assessments in measuring music teaching practices and teacher effectiveness is examined.