ALN – Formative Assessment as the Engine of Learning

November 11, 2026 with MAC Leaders

Virtual 9:00-11:30 am ET

Session 2: Formative Assessment as the Engine of Learning 

If competency is the goal, formative assessment is the pathway.  

In a competency-based system, formative assessment is not a strategy; rather, it is the engine that drives learning forward. This session explores how educators can intentionally elicit, interpret, and respond to evidence of student thinking to support progress toward competency. 

Participants will examine the role of feedback, self-assessment, learning progressions, and performance assessment in building student ownership and increasing rigor through thinking—not just task completion. Particular attention will be given to how authentic and performance-based opportunities can serve as rich sources of formative evidence, helping educators and students better understand learning in progress rather than simply judging learning at the end. Practical routines and tools will be shared to support immediate classroom applications. 

Framing Questions:
• If competency is the goal, what kinds of evidence do educators need to gather during learning—not just at the end of learning?
• How can formative assessment and performance assessment work together to provide richer evidence of student thinking, transfer, and application?
• How can formative assessment practices shift classrooms from task completion and compliance toward deeper thinking, ownership, and continuous growth?
• In what ways can feedback, self-assessment, and learning progressions help students better understand where they are in their learning, where they are going,  and how to move forward? 

ALN 2026-2027 Season Pass = $315.00  (5 sessions)  reflects a 10% discount 

Single session (in person) = $100 

Single session (webinar) = $50