This book provides a new approach to assessment that draws on the assessments that occur naturally and internally for students every day. All learners continually assess the quality of their work, skills, understanding, and behavior and decide what is good enough. They assess and decide when written work is good enough to turn in; when they have put enough effort into a reading assignment or math test; when they understand a concept sufficiently; and whether they have been respectful and helpful to others. But for a variety of reasons, students and teachers often dont tap into this level of assessment and learn how to capitalize on it. Teachers frequently fall into the trap of simply saying try harder, without giving students specific targets, feedback, time to revise, and encouragement. What students really need are tools to assess and improve their own learning and the motivation to do so. Leaders of Their Own Learning offers school leaders and classroom teachers a new way of thinking about assessment based on the celebrated work of Expeditionary Learning Schools across the country. Student-Engaged Assessment is not a single practice. It is an approach to teaching and learning that equips and compels students to understand goals for their learning and growth, track their progress toward those goals, and take responsibility for reaching them. This requires a set of interrelated strategies and structures and a whole-school culture in which students are given the respect and responsibility to be meaningfully engaged in their own learning. This book provides everything teachers and school leaders need to implement a Student-Engaged Assessment system in their schools. It contains chapters on eight key practices that will engage students in making academic progress, improve achievement, and involve families and communities in the life of the school. Each chapter describes a practice, gives advice on how to begin, and explains what teachers and school leaders need to put into practice in their own classrooms and schools. The chapters include descriptive text, resources, advice, and stories from schools successfully using the practice. The companion DVD offers compelling video clips that illustrate each key strategy in real schools with real students--to serve as models, raise questions, and stimulate discussion. Leaders of Their Own Learning shows educators how to ignite the capacity of students to take responsibility for their own learning, meet Common Core and state standards, and reach higher levels of achievement.