WGU D184 Standards-Based Assessment {OA} Actual Exam|150
Questions And CORRECT Answers WITH RATIONALES 2025|2026 ALL
NEEDED TO PASS THE D184 EXAM
OVERVIEW
The 150 WGU D184 questions cover standards-based grading, mastery
learning, formative and summative assessments, proficiency scales,
performance tasks, and differentiation. They emphasize mastery,
descriptive feedback, reassessment, and alignment of instruction and
assessment. Each multiple-choice question includes the correct answer
and rationale, providing a concise, practical review of key assessment
principles.
1. What is the primary purpose of a standards-based assessment?
A. To rank students against each other
B. To measure student mastery of specific learning standards ✔
C. To determine class attendance
D. To give a general grade for effort
Rationale: Standards-based assessments focus on how well students meet predefined learning
standards, not on comparison with peers.
2. Which of the following best describes a proficiency scale?
A. A way to calculate overall GPA
B. A continuum showing levels of mastery for a specific standard ✔
C. A method to weigh homework more than tests
D. A way to group students by ability
Rationale: Proficiency scales indicate different levels of learning achievement for each standard, guiding
instruction and feedback.
3. What is a key advantage of using learning targets in assessment?
A. They replace all exams
B. They clarify what students are expected to learn ✔
C. They increase the difficulty of the course
D. They reduce teaching time
,Rationale: Learning targets provide clear expectations for students and help teachers align instruction
and assessment.
4. Which is an example of a formative assessment?
A. Final exam
B. Standardized test
C. Exit ticket after a lesson ✔
D. Semester project
Rationale: Formative assessments are ongoing checks for understanding during instruction, like exit
tickets or quizzes.
5. Which is a characteristic of an effective rubric?
A. Vague criteria
B. Only qualitative descriptions
C. Clear performance levels and measurable criteria ✔
D. Single-point grading
Rationale: Effective rubrics provide clear criteria for each level of performance, making grading
transparent and consistent.
6. In standards-based grading, a “3” on a proficiency scale usually represents:
A. No understanding
B. Partial understanding
C. Proficient or meeting the standard ✔
D. Advanced mastery
Rationale: Typically, a “3” indicates that a student has met the standard at an expected level.
7. Which of the following is a key difference between formative and summative assessment?
A. Formative is graded, summative is not
B. Formative guides learning; summative evaluates learning ✔
C. Formative is multiple-choice; summative is essay
D. Formative occurs at the end of the year; summative occurs daily
Rationale: Formative assessments inform instruction, while summative assessments evaluate mastery at
the end of a learning period.
,8. What is the main purpose of descriptive feedback?
A. To give students a letter grade
B. To guide students on how to improve their performance ✔
C. To rank students
D. To reduce teacher workload
Rationale: Descriptive feedback provides actionable information to help students progress toward
learning targets.
9. Which statement aligns with the principles of standards-based grading?
A. Student grades are based on effort and participation alone
B. Grades reflect mastery of specific learning standards ✔
C. Grades are curved to fit a normal distribution
D. Grades are cumulative without considering standards
Rationale: Standards-based grading focuses on whether students meet specific standards, not relative
performance or effort alone.
10. A “4” on a proficiency scale generally indicates:
A. No mastery
B. Advanced understanding beyond the standard ✔
C. Partial understanding
D. Meets standard minimally
Rationale: Higher numbers indicate performance exceeding the standard, showing deeper or advanced
mastery.
11. What is the main goal of a standards-based report card?
A. To average all grades into one number
B. To compare students across classrooms
C. To communicate student mastery of specific standards ✔
D. To track attendance
Rationale: Standards-based report cards focus on how well students meet learning standards rather
than overall averages or relative performance.
12. Which of the following best represents a summative assessment?
A. Exit ticket
B. Homework check
, C. Unit test ✔
D. Teacher observation
Rationale: Summative assessments evaluate student learning at the end of a unit or instructional period.
13. In standards-based grading, what does “reassessment” allow?
A. Students to skip lessons
B. Teachers to give bonus points
C. Students to demonstrate mastery after initial attempts ✔
D. Students to change their learning targets
Rationale: Reassessment provides students the opportunity to show growth and mastery after
additional learning or practice.
14. Which of these is an example of descriptive feedback?
A. “Good job”
B. “You got an A”
C. “✔ You need to include more evidence from the text to support your claim”
D. “Better luck next time”
Rationale: Descriptive feedback gives specific guidance on how to improve performance rather than just
praise or grades.
15. What is the first step in designing a standards-based assessment?
A. Creating a grading scale
B. Writing learning targets ✔
C. Calculating average scores
D. Assigning point values
Rationale: Learning targets clarify what students are expected to learn and guide the creation of aligned
assessments.
16. Which of the following is a characteristic of an effective learning target?
A. Vague and broad
B. Specific, measurable, and observable ✔
C. Only focused on effort
D. Difficult for any student to achieve
Questions And CORRECT Answers WITH RATIONALES 2025|2026 ALL
NEEDED TO PASS THE D184 EXAM
OVERVIEW
The 150 WGU D184 questions cover standards-based grading, mastery
learning, formative and summative assessments, proficiency scales,
performance tasks, and differentiation. They emphasize mastery,
descriptive feedback, reassessment, and alignment of instruction and
assessment. Each multiple-choice question includes the correct answer
and rationale, providing a concise, practical review of key assessment
principles.
1. What is the primary purpose of a standards-based assessment?
A. To rank students against each other
B. To measure student mastery of specific learning standards ✔
C. To determine class attendance
D. To give a general grade for effort
Rationale: Standards-based assessments focus on how well students meet predefined learning
standards, not on comparison with peers.
2. Which of the following best describes a proficiency scale?
A. A way to calculate overall GPA
B. A continuum showing levels of mastery for a specific standard ✔
C. A method to weigh homework more than tests
D. A way to group students by ability
Rationale: Proficiency scales indicate different levels of learning achievement for each standard, guiding
instruction and feedback.
3. What is a key advantage of using learning targets in assessment?
A. They replace all exams
B. They clarify what students are expected to learn ✔
C. They increase the difficulty of the course
D. They reduce teaching time
,Rationale: Learning targets provide clear expectations for students and help teachers align instruction
and assessment.
4. Which is an example of a formative assessment?
A. Final exam
B. Standardized test
C. Exit ticket after a lesson ✔
D. Semester project
Rationale: Formative assessments are ongoing checks for understanding during instruction, like exit
tickets or quizzes.
5. Which is a characteristic of an effective rubric?
A. Vague criteria
B. Only qualitative descriptions
C. Clear performance levels and measurable criteria ✔
D. Single-point grading
Rationale: Effective rubrics provide clear criteria for each level of performance, making grading
transparent and consistent.
6. In standards-based grading, a “3” on a proficiency scale usually represents:
A. No understanding
B. Partial understanding
C. Proficient or meeting the standard ✔
D. Advanced mastery
Rationale: Typically, a “3” indicates that a student has met the standard at an expected level.
7. Which of the following is a key difference between formative and summative assessment?
A. Formative is graded, summative is not
B. Formative guides learning; summative evaluates learning ✔
C. Formative is multiple-choice; summative is essay
D. Formative occurs at the end of the year; summative occurs daily
Rationale: Formative assessments inform instruction, while summative assessments evaluate mastery at
the end of a learning period.
,8. What is the main purpose of descriptive feedback?
A. To give students a letter grade
B. To guide students on how to improve their performance ✔
C. To rank students
D. To reduce teacher workload
Rationale: Descriptive feedback provides actionable information to help students progress toward
learning targets.
9. Which statement aligns with the principles of standards-based grading?
A. Student grades are based on effort and participation alone
B. Grades reflect mastery of specific learning standards ✔
C. Grades are curved to fit a normal distribution
D. Grades are cumulative without considering standards
Rationale: Standards-based grading focuses on whether students meet specific standards, not relative
performance or effort alone.
10. A “4” on a proficiency scale generally indicates:
A. No mastery
B. Advanced understanding beyond the standard ✔
C. Partial understanding
D. Meets standard minimally
Rationale: Higher numbers indicate performance exceeding the standard, showing deeper or advanced
mastery.
11. What is the main goal of a standards-based report card?
A. To average all grades into one number
B. To compare students across classrooms
C. To communicate student mastery of specific standards ✔
D. To track attendance
Rationale: Standards-based report cards focus on how well students meet learning standards rather
than overall averages or relative performance.
12. Which of the following best represents a summative assessment?
A. Exit ticket
B. Homework check
, C. Unit test ✔
D. Teacher observation
Rationale: Summative assessments evaluate student learning at the end of a unit or instructional period.
13. In standards-based grading, what does “reassessment” allow?
A. Students to skip lessons
B. Teachers to give bonus points
C. Students to demonstrate mastery after initial attempts ✔
D. Students to change their learning targets
Rationale: Reassessment provides students the opportunity to show growth and mastery after
additional learning or practice.
14. Which of these is an example of descriptive feedback?
A. “Good job”
B. “You got an A”
C. “✔ You need to include more evidence from the text to support your claim”
D. “Better luck next time”
Rationale: Descriptive feedback gives specific guidance on how to improve performance rather than just
praise or grades.
15. What is the first step in designing a standards-based assessment?
A. Creating a grading scale
B. Writing learning targets ✔
C. Calculating average scores
D. Assigning point values
Rationale: Learning targets clarify what students are expected to learn and guide the creation of aligned
assessments.
16. Which of the following is a characteristic of an effective learning target?
A. Vague and broad
B. Specific, measurable, and observable ✔
C. Only focused on effort
D. Difficult for any student to achieve
