A Model Cornerstone Assessment (MCA) is a model assessment with guidance for instruction in your classroom.  The authors of the 2014 National Theatre standards created Model Cornerstone Assessments aligned to the standards for grades Pre K-8, and at three levels in high school - proficient, accomplished, and advanced. Model Cornerstone Assessments for all grades were piloted and student work was collected and adjudicated in a national benchmarking process, to be shared as samples showing how the standards come to life in a real classroom.  Since the standards were published in 2014, additional Model Cornerstone Assessments have been created and piloted by EdTA utilizing teams of teachers and teaching artists, offering a full spectrum of models of assessment across diverse areas of instruction. 

MCAs model effective assessment practice and demonstrate that teaching theatre is specific, rigorous, and measurable by sharing a glimpse into one teacher's classroom.  The MCA's on this website come packaged with a suggested process for assessing student learning, types of evidence to collect, model rubrics, and samples of students' process and learning collected during the pilot of the MCA.