Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)

The Classroom Assessment Scoring System™ (CLASS™) is an observational instrument developed at the Curry School Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning to assess classroom quality in PK-12 classrooms. It describes multiple dimensions of teaching that are linked to student achievement and development and has been validated in over 2,000 classrooms. The CLASS™ can be used to reliably assess classroom quality for research and program evaluation and also provides a tool to help new and experienced teachers become more effective. The CLASS™ system began as part of a national study in early childhood development. Eventually, that research grew in significance as education policies shifted focus to teacher accountability. Teachers needed some way to see how their methods were working in the classroom. The CLASS™ instrument became a much-needed tool that could both effectively measure teacher-student interactions in a classroom setting and offer resources for strengthening those interactions across any subject area or age group.