Balanced Assessment Bank Overview

The VaSCL bank includes about 10,000 technology enhanced, constructed response, and multiple-choice items, as well as about 150 performance tasks and rubrics. These items can be used by VaSCL school divisions to provide instructional support for teachers in assessing and differentiating instruction for students as well as providing intervention support.

Only VaSCL member school divisions have exclusive access to the VaSCL Balance Assessment Bank. Test Bank Items are available through PowerSchool’s Performance Matters platform, or through Google Drive Folders for VaSCL members who are not clients of Power School using Performance Matters. Task Bank Performance Assessments are available through a Google Website and can be used in a variety of virtual LMS and SIS platforms.

The purpose of the VaSCL Balanced Assessment Workgroups is to provide professional learning and develop resources to enhance assessment practices in all content areas across the state. As a partner with the Virginia Department of Education, VaSCL has been involved with lobbying for and designing new assessment practices at the state and local level.

Teachers use assessment on a daily basis to determine student learning and make educational decisions for their students. Schools, districts and states use assessment practices to make educational decisions on grades, placements, curriculum and instructional needs. While all agree that assessment is crucial, it is easy to lose sight of why we assess.

The Balanced Assessment Workgroup's main goal is to provide the skills and resources necessary for partner divisions to utilize assessments to improve and enhance learning experiences for all students. Workgroup teams collaborate to establish a bank of a variety of assessment items that can be used to measure student achievement across all depths of knowledge and skills aligned with the Virginia Standards of Learning. Assessment practices are an integral part of educational systems.

Work group members are typically identified by instructional leadership staff in member divisions usually by the steering committee representative or the superintendent. Work group members can also self-register to participate with permission of their member division supervisor, as appropriate to their role. Participation in work groups is for member division staff only and is free.

Work group members meet onsite and virtually with team leaders. Kelley Aitken, VaSCL Assessment Coordinator, and Annie Evans, Performance Task Coordinator provide overall coordination and supervision of work group activities.

For more information about becoming a member of a work group, please contact Kelley Aitken at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Every year the educators who serve in the different subject area workgroups for the Bank have been overwhelmingly positive about the benefits of participating in this ongoing Professional Learning Community made up of instructional leaders from across Virginia, with whom they can discuss pedagogical challenges and share successful instructional strategies.

Professional Development has always been a fundamental part of the VaSCL Balanced Assessment Bank. The Instructional Leaders of our member divisions have greatly valued this VaSCL Community of Practice over the years, as evidenced by their willingness to provide release time for over 200 experienced classroom teachers, curriculum leaders, and instructional specialists in the different subject areas to attend the Balanced Assessment Bank meetings.

VaSCL has a Memorandum of Understanding with PowerSchool that results in VaSCL members receiving a reduction in their Performance Matters annual contract costs. For more information about this MOU, please contact Kelley Aitken, VaSCL assessment coordinator at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., VaSCL Executive Director

VaSCL has a Memorandum of Understanding with Mastery Connect that allows VaSCL members to access the VaSCL assessment bank in Mastery Connect.

Kelley Aitken, VaSCL Assessment Coordinator: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.