Assessment should be more than merely a test at the end of instruction to gauge learning. It should be an integral part of instruction that guides teachers and enhances students' learning.

Teachers should be continually gathering information about their students through questions, interviews, writing tasks, and other means. They can then make appropriate decisions about such matters as reviewing material, reteaching a difficult concept, or providing something more or different for students who are struggling or need enrichment.

To be consistent with the Learning Principle, assessments should focus on understanding as well as procedural skills. Because different students show what they know and can do in different ways, assessments should also be done in multiple ways, and teachers should look for a convergence of evidence from different sources.

Teachers must ensure that all students are given an opportunity to demonstrate their mathematics learning. For example, teachers should use communication-enhancing and bilingual techniques to support students who are learning English.