This paper explores alternate forms of educational
assessment, which have taken on new importance since the "No Child Left
Behind" (NCLB) law requiring demonstrated proof of learning. While the standard
assessment for most schools is some form of group achievement test, the paper explains that some students do not perform well on such tests, making them a poor yardstick for measuring their progress. The paper also says that tests are problematic for students with special needs, whose progress can not be assessed in the same way as children without impediments to learning. The paper then studies alternative forms of assessment, focusing in particular on the portfolio method, which is a broad collection of information that demonstrates as completely as possible how the student is performing as a learner. The paper reviews and summarizes several different quantitative research studies about this method.