A teacher uses a portfolio and ongoing observations to assess a child’s progress over time. This approach exemplifies which type of assessment?

• A. Formative assessment
• B. Standardized testing
• C. Norm-referenced testing
• D. Portfolio-based assessment

Answer: (D)

Tracking progress over time through a collection of a child’s work and teacher observations is portfolio-based assessment. This approach centers on gathering diverse artifacts—work samples, drawings, photos, checklists, and reflective notes—across different times and settings to show growth and development. It emphasizes learning processes and outcomes over a single test result, providing a holistic picture of change rather than a snapshot. While ongoing observations can inform instruction, the key feature is documenting evidence of progress over time to demonstrate learning trajectories, which makes portfolio-based assessment the best fit.