Substitute Teacher Education & Development Institute (STEDI) Practice Test

On a substitute day, the main goal is to quickly gauge how students are engaging, what they can do independently, and what might need a follow-up. Observations of participation help you see who is on task, who stays engaged, and where prompts or support are needed. Completion rates show whether students finish the assigned work within the available time, which informs pacing and task difficulty. Work samples provide concrete evidence of learning—actual artifacts that demonstrate what students can produce and how they apply skills or standards. Using these data together gives a complete picture: you understand engagement and effort, assess how well the class handles the work within the period, and see tangible demonstrations of learning. That broader snapshot is more informative for planning the rest of the day and for shaping future instruction than any single measure, so collecting all of these forms of data is the best approach.