In this Research & Practice in Assessment article, JMU faculty and graduate students share numerous resources to facilitate equity-centered outcomes assessment practices. These materials can be used for professional development and to foster improved, equitable processes when evaluating program effectiveness. 

Citation: Finney, S.J., Stewart, J.P., Wild, A.N., Herr, R.K. & Schaefer, K.E. (2024). A meta-assessment rubric to guide professional development and practice in equitable outcomes assessment. Research & Practice in Assessment, 19(1), 45-58. https://www.rpajournal.com/dev/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Meta-Assessment-Rubric-Equitable-Outcomes-Assessment-RPA.pdf

Abstract: Meta-assessment, or the assessment of the outcomes assessment process, is a useful strategy to communicate, guide, document, and provide feedback on assessment practices. We share the creation of a rubric that aligns with assessment processes aimed to improve student learning and development in higher education. More specifically, the rubric was created to align with the student affairs professional standards and explicitly evaluates equity related aspects of each component of the outcomes assessment process. Additionally, we highlight the rubric as a necessary step in a broader change management effort. We then share procedures of the initial use of the rubric to evaluate assessment reports. After analyzing rubric scores (i.e., G-study) and qualitative feedback from several raters, we then describe additional support resources intentionally created to facilitate more reliable ratings. We freely share the rubric, training reports, and support materials to enable a culture of improvement in higher education institutions.