Choose the assessment based on what you need to know about student learning. Each assessment in Imagine+ Assessment (I+A) and Imagine IM is designed to answer a different question.
Use the guide below to choose the right assessment for readiness, prerequisite knowledge, misconceptions, lesson understanding, unit progress, transfer, or specific skills. Some assessments are available only in certain grade bands.
Choose an assessment based on what you need to know
| Assessment | What it helps you answer | When to use it | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| I+A Diagnostic (Grades K–12) | What students' overall readiness is | Beginning, middle, and end of year | 45–60 mins |
| Check Your Readiness (Grades 2–12) | What prerequisite knowledge students bring into a unit | Before each unit | 20 mins |
| Knowledge Checks (Grades 6–8) | What misconceptions students may have before a section | Before each section | 10 mins |
| Cool-downs (Grades 2–12) | Whether students understood the lesson goal | At the end of each lesson | 5–7 mins |
| Checkpoints (Grades 2–12) | Whether students are building understanding across a section | After each section | 5–10 mins |
| Mid-Unit Assessments (Grades 6–12, where applicable) | Whether students have reached mastery so far in the unit | Halfway through longer units | 15–20 mins |
| End-of-Unit Assessments (Grades K–12) | Whether students have demonstrated mastery of the unit | At the end of the unit | 20–30 mins |
| I+A Benchmarks (Grades 3–8) | Whether students can transfer their learning | Typically up to four times per year after instruction | 45–60 mins |
| I+A Formatives (Grades K–12) | Whether students have mastered a specific skill | On demand | 10 mins |
Choose an assessment based on the instructional level
Assessments are designed to match different levels of instruction. Choose your assessment based on how closely you need to look at student learning:
- School year: Use I+A Diagnostic for a broad view of student readiness and growth across the year. It is the primary assessment for readiness information. Use I+A Benchmarks to check standards mastery and transfer of learning across multiple units.
- Unit: Use Check Your Readiness to see what prerequisite knowledge students bring into a unit. Use Mid-Unit and End-of-Unit Assessments to check mastery of unit content.
- Section: Use Knowledge Checks to anticipate misconceptions before teaching a section. Use Checkpoints to see if students are building understanding across that section.
- Lesson: Use Cool-downs to check if students understood the goal of a single lesson.
- Specific skill: Use I+A Formatives on demand when you need to check understanding of a specific skill, guide reteaching, or reinforce a skill.
Choose an assessment for grading and reporting
Not all assessments are intended for formal grading or reporting. Choose your assessment based on how you plan to use or share the results:
- For daily instructional decisions: Use Knowledge Checks, Check Your Readiness, and Cool-downs. These help you identify misconceptions and gaps in prerequisite knowledge. They are not intended for grading or formal reporting.
- For grading: Use Mid-Unit and End-of-Unit Assessments. These measure knowledge of recently covered topics and can be used for grading.
- For broad reporting: Use I+A Diagnostic and I+A Benchmarks. These provide consistent views of student performance that can be shared with families or used for school-level reporting.
Choose an assessment for core instruction or intervention
You can also choose assessments based on the level of support you are planning:
- To adjust core instruction: Use Knowledge Checks and Cool-downs. If these show widespread misunderstandings, adjust your whole-group instruction to address them.
- To plan intervention: Use I+A Diagnostic and I+A Benchmarks. If these show persistent gaps, use the results to identify individual students who may need targeted support or intervention beyond core instruction.
Each assessment is designed for a different point in instruction, so choosing the right one helps you get the information you need without adding unnecessary testing.