Socioscientific issues, issues that center on the intersection between scientific and social problems in real-world contexts, are valuable tools to use in science instruction due to their association with gains in scientific literacy, argumentation skills, and content knowledge. However, due to their complex nature, crafting instruction using socioscientific issues may be challenging for many teachers. It has been theorized that students will use their knowledge, values, and personal experiences (KVP) when they negotiate a socioscientific issue, thus, finding ways to capitalized on the KVP students bring to the classroom may help students achieve the gains associated with instruction using socioscientific issues while guiding instructional efforts. This paper outlines the development of an instrument to assess KVP associated with socioscientific issues. The purpose of this instrument is to provide a tool that teachers may use to assess KVP so that they can pointedly promote the aspects of KVP in their classrooms. Implications for teacher educators and researchers in science education are also discussed.