Article
Authors: Maria Hamdani , Thao Vo (The Center for Measurement Justice) , Nisha Acharya Julien (The Center for Measurement Justice)
This paper aims to address the critical need for practical guidance on developing Culturally Responsive Assessments (CRA) in U.S.-based educational systems. Traditional approaches, often designed with minimal inclusion of diverse cultural backgrounds, can exacerbate the marginalization of already marginalized populations. This paper addresses this exacerbation by presenting a structured approach for CRA development, emphasizing how to incorporate cultural context through sharing assessment development power. We detail a practical process, highlighting three unique culturally responsive procedures: “brainstorming sessions” to understand and gather authentic lived experiences of marginalized groups, blueprint development targeting specific culturally responsive qualities for item creation, and authenticity reviews with underrepresented groups. This approach aims to ensure that assessments are justice-oriented, engaging, and accurately reflect the capabilities of all learners, particularly those who have been historically and systematically excluded.
Keywords: Co-Designing Assessments, Culturally Responsive Assessment, Assessment Framework
How to Cite: Hamdani, M. , Vo, T. & Julien, N. A. (2026) “A Practical Approach in Co-Designing Culturally Responsive Mathematics Assessments”, Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation. 30(2). doi: https://doi.org/10.7275/pare.3258