This formative-assessment program is based on two key ideas about assessment. First, thoughtful educators use assessment results to revise their instructional approaches so that assessment is no longer a product, but a part of an ongoing process that supports learning and informs instruction (Barton and Jordan 2001). Second, standards-based portfolios benefit both students and teachers by documenting students’ learning and evaluating their progress in achieving mastery of the standards and goals of the class. The portfolios also help teachers monitor their own effectiveness in teaching students the skills needed to fully understand the content (Belgrad, Burke, and Fogarty 2002).