A lot of people talk about the value of formative assessment, but Carol Ann Tomlinson points out that, too often, it is reduced to a mechanism for raising end-of-year-test scores when it should be an ongoing exchange between a teacher and his or her students designed to help students grow. When aligned with current content goals, it can help teachers and students make near-term adjustments so that student learning can proceed. Tomlinson offers 10 principles to help teachers apply sound formative assessment practices: (1) Help students understand the role of formative assessment; (2) Begin with clarity about what students need to know, understand, and be able to do; (3) Make room for student differences; (4) Provide instructive feedback to students; (5) Make feedback user-friendly; (6) Assess persistently; (7) Engage students with formative assessment; (8) Look for patterns; (9) Plan instruction around content requirements and student needs; and (10) Repeat the process.