Principals and teachers: Different perceptions of large-scale assessment

• Principals perceive large scale assessment as a formative assessment.
• Teachers perceive large scale assessment as a summative assessment.
• Teacher’s role in school influence their perception of the large scale assessment.
• Differences exist in understanding the declared goals of large scale assessment.

This study examined whether differences exist between principals’ and teachers’ perceptions of the goals of a large-scale assessment, and whether they view it as formative or summative. Interviews were held with 30 principals and 92 teachers. A difference was found between their perceptions of the goals and the national large-scale assessment goals. The main goal is perceived to be student achievements, and not a tool for improving the schools’ work as declared by the Ministry of Education. Principals perceive the assessment mainly as formative, whereas teachers perceive it mainly as summative. Teachers who hold administrative roles perceive some of the goals as formative assessment, as do principals, whereas other teachers perceive it as summative.