Entering Assessment Data in Forefront | Forefront Education Help Center

Teachers, administrators, and school and district leaders can enter assessment data in Forefront.

Leaders can drill down to the classroom level to access class gradebooks and data-entry tools. This is especially helpful when a testing team, instructional coach, interventionist, or other staff member supports assessment administration, scoring, or data entry.

Assessment data can also be imported from supported digital assessment systems, including curricular, benchmark, and interim assessments. Learn more about importing assessment data.

This article explains how to enter data manually.

Before You Begin

To enter data, first navigate to the class and assessment you want to work with. If you teach more than one class:

Select the appropriate class.
Select the subject.
Select the program that contains the assessment.
Select the unit, module, assessment window, or other section where the assessment is located.

Entering Data in the Spreadsheet

Step 1: Open the Class Gradebook

Select the appropriate class and subject, and then select Gradebook from the left navigation.

Step 2: Select the Program

At the top of the Gradebook, select the tab for the program that contains the assessment.

Step 3: Select the Unit, Module, or Assessment Window

Select the section that contains the assessment. Depending on the program, this may be a:

Unit
Module
Beginning-, middle-, or end-of-year assessment window

The assessments available within that section will appear on the left. An example of this navigation pathway is below. Note that the instructional program names and parts will vary based on your district's usage of Forefront. These are set up as part of the course configuration process. Learn more about courses.

Step 4: Open the Assessment

Select the name of the assessment to open its spreadsheet directly. You can also select the three-dot menu beside the assessment to access additional options, which may include:

Open Interview
Open Spreadsheet
Edit
Proficiency exclusion

The options available may vary by assessment and by your account permissions.

Step 5: Enter Scores

Select the appropriate cell in the spreadsheet and enter the student’s score.

As scores are entered, the spreadsheet changes color to indicate proficiency for each question or skill.

The overall or total column depends on how the assessment has been configured. In many assessments, an overall proficiency level appears after the full assessment has been completed. However:

Some assessments do not include an overall result.
Some assessments generate an overall result after any data has been entered.
Some assessments require every question to be completed before an overall result appears.

Confirm the Assessment Date

When you enter the first score, Forefront will ask you to select the date the assessment was administered. This is an important step, as the assessment date can affect proficiency calculations and how results are displayed over time. Learn more about Forefront's proficiency calculation here.

The date can be changed later if needed.

Features That Make Data Entry More Efficient

Autofill Empty Scores

You can autofill empty cells with the maximum score, minimum score, or another selected value. This can make data entry faster when most students received the same score.

After autofilling the spreadsheet, you can adjust individual cells or student rows as needed.

Autofill the Entire Spreadsheet

Select the correct assessment-date tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet.
Select the three-dot menu in the upper-left corner of the spreadsheet.
Select Set empty scores to...
Choose the value you want to enter in the empty cells.

If Set empty scores to... is unavailable or grayed out, confirm that you have selected the correct assessment-date tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet.

Autofill One Question or Task

To autofill scores for one question or task:

Right-click the item number or column heading.
Select Set empty scores to...
Choose the value you want to enter.

If the option is unavailable, confirm that you have selected the correct assessment-date tab.

Autofill or Reset Scores for One Student

Select the three-dot menu beside the student’s name to:

Set empty scores for that student
Enter the maximum, minimum, or another value
Reset the student’s row data

If an option is unavailable, confirm that you have selected the correct assessment-date tab.

Using the Interview Tool

For assessments administered as interviews, the Interview tool provides the assessment script and scoring rubric in one place.

To open the Interview tool:

Select the three-dot menu beside the assessment.
Select Open Interview.

For some assessments, you can also select Interview from the upper-right corner of the spreadsheet.

As you administer the assessment:

Follow the displayed script.
Select the appropriate score from the rubric.
Add notes when helpful.

Scores entered in the Interview tool are automatically added to the assessment spreadsheet.

Adding Notes and Student Work

Notes can be added to individual assessment questions to provide additional context about student thinking or performance.

You can open note entry by:

Pressing N while working in the spreadsheet
Selecting the note option from the side navigation
Selecting the note button within the Interview tool

You may also upload images of student work. These can be useful during data meetings, instructional planning, or parent-teacher conferences.

Accessing Next Steps

Some assessment programs include Next Steps, which provide instructional activities, recommendations, or resources connected to the assessed skills.

Preconfigured Next Steps are available for programs including: