Differentiating Assessment for Culturally Responsive Teaching: A Review of Current Findings
Morgan Baxter-Knutson
Concordia University, St. PaulMasters of Arts in Education - Differentiated InstructionED 590: Conducting Research & Completing the Capstone, Cohort 104Professor Michael FosterApril 25, 2026
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT
Differentiation Excludes Bias
Resources DO exist!
What is Differentiation?
Differentiation is the teacher's response to student needs. It includes differentiating content, process, or product based on a student's readiness, interests, and learning profile by using different types of instructional and management strategies (Tomlinson, 2017). Differentiation already occurs in most classrooms and teachers don't even realize it. The process of being intentional in differentiation is key and is most useful when basing differentiation initially from the learning goals and breaking it down from there.
When beginning the process of differentiating, it feels as though there's nothing that exists to support meeting individualized needs. Through classes such as CI525 and DI538, a toolbox has been developed and is ready to be used in any situation! Differentiation resources look different for each person too. I feel more empowered to differentiate by understanding different aspects of student mental health, my own moral biases in the classroom, and what areas of differentiation I continue to need to work on.
To be fully invested in differentiating, one must overcome personal biases, whether or not they are aware of them. This is crucial for making connections with students and for fully understanding who they are and what they need from you as an educator. It is of the utmost important to leave bias and perspective out of the classroom. When developing a positive and culturally responsive classroom culture, one must be open and driven to learn about the sociocultural backgrounds of others.
Research Question
How may differentiated assessments be developed for students in K-12 general education classrooms that are culturally responsive and meet individual needs?
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT
Key Findings Related to Differentiated Culturally Responsive Assessment
Teachers are likely unaware or not provided professional development that teaches them that differentiated assessment can be a valuable support in their culturally diverse classrooms. Supporting teacher development in differentiated instruction and assessment can help teachers build this skill. Basing assessment on initial diagnostic assessment and cultural perspectives of the community is crucial in developing a sound assessment that supports the needs of all learners in the classroom. Education gaps will only continue to grow if there is not a change to the current positivist classroom approach towards a more constructivist approach.
"When cultural validity is viewed as a critical component for all validity studies in a program, those studies become more actionable and focused."
- Kūkea Shultz & Englert, 2021
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT
Professional Practices & Research Advocacy
I have always felt strongly about utilizing research-based practices within my special education teaching. I know now more than ever how necessary it is to continue to advocate for research that shows the significant positive impact of culturally responsive assessment practices. Cultures continue to become more dynamic and therefore require research that supports the changes that educators will continue to face.
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT
Personal Applications
Professional Applications
As a special education teacher, I feel that I have the opportunity to integrate differentiation in so many ways:
- Integrating differentiation within co-taught classes.
- Further developing differentiation within resource classes.
- Differentiating assessment not only based on special education needs but cultural backgrounds.
As a young adult who is passionate about supporting and empowering individuality among people:
- Resource sharing with colleagues or friends.
- Building awareness of the necessity to differentiate based on individual needs to enhance learning.
- Being aware of any subconcious personal bias and taking time to reflect on why there is bias and how to remove that bias.
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT
In Conclusion...
Differentiation is any way that a teacher is able to make small or big changes to their teaching, environment, or assessments. The largest barriers at this time to creating a differentiated and culturally responsive environment/assessments include lack of teacher knowledge, awareness/bias, and resources. It is essential to our students to work towards an environment that is inclusive of all abilities and needs.
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT
References
- Kūkea Schultz, P., & Englert, K. (2021, July 01). Cultural validity as foundational to assessment development: an indigenous example. Frontiers in Education, 6. https://doi.org/10.2289/feduc.2021.701973
Last Name Last Name, Author (20XX). Place of Publication: Publisher.
Differentiating Assessment for Culturally Responsive Assessment
Morgan Baxter-Knutson
Created on April 12, 2026
Start designing with a free template
Discover more than 1500 professional designs like these:
View
Memphis Presentation
View
Higher Education Presentation
View
Psychedelic Presentation
View
Harmony Higher Education Thesis
View
Vaporwave presentation
View
Geniaflix Presentation
View
Vintage Mosaic Presentation
Explore all templates
Transcript
Differentiating Assessment for Culturally Responsive Teaching: A Review of Current Findings
Morgan Baxter-Knutson
Concordia University, St. PaulMasters of Arts in Education - Differentiated InstructionED 590: Conducting Research & Completing the Capstone, Cohort 104Professor Michael FosterApril 25, 2026
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT
Differentiation Excludes Bias
Resources DO exist!
What is Differentiation?
Differentiation is the teacher's response to student needs. It includes differentiating content, process, or product based on a student's readiness, interests, and learning profile by using different types of instructional and management strategies (Tomlinson, 2017). Differentiation already occurs in most classrooms and teachers don't even realize it. The process of being intentional in differentiation is key and is most useful when basing differentiation initially from the learning goals and breaking it down from there.
When beginning the process of differentiating, it feels as though there's nothing that exists to support meeting individualized needs. Through classes such as CI525 and DI538, a toolbox has been developed and is ready to be used in any situation! Differentiation resources look different for each person too. I feel more empowered to differentiate by understanding different aspects of student mental health, my own moral biases in the classroom, and what areas of differentiation I continue to need to work on.
To be fully invested in differentiating, one must overcome personal biases, whether or not they are aware of them. This is crucial for making connections with students and for fully understanding who they are and what they need from you as an educator. It is of the utmost important to leave bias and perspective out of the classroom. When developing a positive and culturally responsive classroom culture, one must be open and driven to learn about the sociocultural backgrounds of others.
Research Question
How may differentiated assessments be developed for students in K-12 general education classrooms that are culturally responsive and meet individual needs?
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT
Key Findings Related to Differentiated Culturally Responsive Assessment
Teachers are likely unaware or not provided professional development that teaches them that differentiated assessment can be a valuable support in their culturally diverse classrooms. Supporting teacher development in differentiated instruction and assessment can help teachers build this skill. Basing assessment on initial diagnostic assessment and cultural perspectives of the community is crucial in developing a sound assessment that supports the needs of all learners in the classroom. Education gaps will only continue to grow if there is not a change to the current positivist classroom approach towards a more constructivist approach.
"When cultural validity is viewed as a critical component for all validity studies in a program, those studies become more actionable and focused."
- Kūkea Shultz & Englert, 2021
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT
Professional Practices & Research Advocacy
I have always felt strongly about utilizing research-based practices within my special education teaching. I know now more than ever how necessary it is to continue to advocate for research that shows the significant positive impact of culturally responsive assessment practices. Cultures continue to become more dynamic and therefore require research that supports the changes that educators will continue to face.
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT
Personal Applications
Professional Applications
As a special education teacher, I feel that I have the opportunity to integrate differentiation in so many ways:
As a young adult who is passionate about supporting and empowering individuality among people:
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT
In Conclusion...
Differentiation is any way that a teacher is able to make small or big changes to their teaching, environment, or assessments. The largest barriers at this time to creating a differentiated and culturally responsive environment/assessments include lack of teacher knowledge, awareness/bias, and resources. It is essential to our students to work towards an environment that is inclusive of all abilities and needs.
CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE DIFFERENTIATED ASSESSMENT
References
Last Name Last Name, Author (20XX). Place of Publication: Publisher.