We sought to understand how teachers’ perspectives on standards-based
instructional practices, classroom assessment, and external testing do or do not show
coherence and alignment. Based on survey methods (n = 155) and interviews with a
sample of secondary school teachers (n = 9) in a large urban district in the USA, we
explored general trends and individual teachers’ viewpoints. Our results suggest that
the teachers’ instructional use of standards, classroom assessment preferences, and
beliefs about the test-driven system are moderately correlated. Interview data provide
insight into reasons teachers hold beliefs that do or do not fit well into a coherent
assessment system.

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• Standards and assessment: coherence from the teacher’s perspective