What is the role of formative assessment in instructional decision-making?

• A. It determines teacher salaries.
• B. It informs instructional adjustments, grouping, pacing, and supports individualized learning.
• C. It replaces all summative assessments.
• D. It only informs grades at the end.

Answer: (B)

Formative assessment is an ongoing feedback process used during instruction to understand how students are learning and to shape teaching decisions in real time. The information gathered from quick checks for understanding, informal observations, exit tickets, or short quizzes helps you decide what to teach next, how to group students, and whether to slow down or accelerate the pace. When you see that some students are still missing the target, you can re-teach, provide targeted supports, or adjust tasks to fit individual readiness, which supports personalized learning. It also supports flexible grouping and pacing so instruction aligns with students’ needs rather than sticking to a fixed plan. This approach contrasts with summative assessments, which evaluate learning after instruction and don’t typically guide day-to-day decisions, and it isn’t about salaries or final grades alone.