Assessment in Finnish Schools

Abstract

The Finnish National Board of Education has been publishing guidelines for the evaluation of student learning in the comprehensive school since the 1970s. This evaluation is two-fold: 1) during school it guides and supports students along their academic paths and 2) at the conclusion of the comprehensive school it expresses each student’s level of proficiency to the larger community. The Finnish educational authorities conduct sample-based assessments, which are used as a basis for program improvements. They do not, however, endorse high-stakes, total cohort testing. Instead of external measures of accountability, the emphasis is on trust.