Performance Assessment Task Template - Design Steps for Learning Goals and Criteria

Sep 11, 2026

Uploaded by Stanford

Reproducible performance assessment task template that guides educators through planning an assessment aligned to standard and learning goals. The template outlines steps for establishing learning goals, setting meaningful context and purpose, designing the task and product with appropriate cognitive demand, preparing instructional implications, selecting accessible materials, and laying out scoring guides and rubrics. It encourages support for gaps in taught knowledge and includes suggestions for framing multiple perspectives and co-constructing criteria.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time1 min

AccessFree to download

Performance Assessment Task Design

Step 1: Establish learning goals

Step 2: Set the context

Step 3: Design the task

Step 4: Lay out the materials

Step 5: Lay out the criteria

REPRODUCIBLE Performance Assessment Task Template Use the QR code to access this template as a Google Doc you can download and customize. Using these steps, design your task by writing the specific steps for the standard and learning goals in the righthand column. | Steps | Your Design | | --- | --- | | Step 1: Establish learning goals or learning progressions. | | | Identify the learning goals for the task. | | | What skills and knowledge are necessary to complete a | | | task but might not have been taught? Plan how to support students so that missing knowledge doesn’t become the reason they do not achieve. | | | Step 2: Set the context.
1. What cultural experiences or communication patterns are important to know regarding your students? What do students bring to the table to connect with a task? | | | 2. What is the context of the task? | | | 3. What is the purpose of the task? | | | 4. Who is the audience? Describe why they would care about this work. | | | 5. What role do students play? | | | 6. How does the task reflect multiple perspectives? How will students study multiple perspectives? | | | 7. Does it reflect a strength-based view of culture as well as its tensions? | | | Step 3: Design the task.
1. Consider the required and desired cognitive level. Be sure requirements to complete the task meet the cognitive level. | | | 2. Frame the context. | | | 3. Frame the task, product, or presentation. | | | 4. Describe the form the product or presentation should take. Students can have options (such as writing, presenting, video, poster, and so on), but take care that options do not change the learning goals. | | | 5. Determine the instructional implications for preparing students for this task. Consider communication patterns and other background knowledge and experience. | | The Handbook for Design in Five © 2026 Solution Tree Press • [SolutionTree.com](SolutionTree.com)[ ](SolutionTree.com)[Visit](Visit go.SolutionTree.com/assessment)[ go.SolutionTree.com/assessment](Visit go.SolutionTree.com/assessment) to download this free reproducible. page 1 of 2 REPRODUCIBLE | Steps | Your Design | | --- | --- | | Step 4: Lay out the materials.
1. Make a checklist of materials to achieve this task.
2. Ensure that students have access to tools and materials with no significant financial or resource burden. | | | Step 5: Lay out the criteria.
1. Develop scoring guides and rubrics to describe the criteria. Use the general rubrics adopted by your school or district as guidelines.
2. Consider co-constructing criteria so students generatea clear vision of quality work. | | Source: Adaptedfrom Dimich, N. (2024). Design in Five: Essential phases to create engaging assessment practice (2nd ed.). Solution Tree Press. The Handbook for Design in Five © 2026 Solution Tree Press • [SolutionTree.com](SolutionTree.com)[ ](SolutionTree.com)[Visit](Visit go.SolutionTree.com/assessment)[ go.SolutionTree.com/assessment](Visit go.SolutionTree.com/assessment) to download this free reproducible. page 2 of 2

FAQs

How does the template start designing the performance task?

It begins with establishing learning goals or learning progressions and identifying skills or knowledge students may need that might not have been taught yet, along with plans to support them.

What does the template ask educators to define in the task context?

It prompts educators to describe cultural experiences and communication patterns relevant to students, the task context, purpose, audience, students’ roles, and how the task reflects multiple perspectives.

How are criteria and scoring handled in the template?

The template instructs educators to develop scoring guides and rubrics, use general school or district rubrics as guidelines, and consider co-constructing criteria so students share a clear vision of quality work.

Sep 11, 2026

Uploaded by Stanford