A formative assessment is an ongoing assessment used to inform instruction. The frequency is not defined, so it might be weekly or quarterly. Also, the type of measure used is not defined, so long as the information is helpful for the teacher in making adjustments to instruction in an ongoing manner. It could be as simple as classroom observations, a fluency test, or a full diagnostic assessment like
DORA,
ADAM, and
DOMA.
A summative assessment is given at pre-determined intervals. It could range from a state assessment to a benchmark test or an end-of-unit test. It specifically tests the knowledge that a student should have mastered by a particular time. A summative assessment is used for accountability.