Abstract: We discuss assessment-oriented insights from multiple studies on Calculus 1 final exams collected from college-level U.S. institutions. We highlights ways to evaluate students’ application of important meanings and support their engagement in generative ways of reasoning. We coordinate this analysis of assessment items with a discussion of relevant findings from research on the teaching and learning of calculus, emphasizing the importance of promoting students’ engagement in quantitative reasoning. We conclude with a broader commentary on the importance of instructors attending to students’ meanings in their teaching, and offer suggestions for flexibly introducing these items as part of formative assessments throughout the life of a calculus course.