With the growing interest in comparing student achievement state by state, there is a need to develop better techniques for making such comparisons. Approaches available now, particularly the use of Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and American College Test (ACT) scores, have obvious shortcomings but nonetheless continue to be prominent because there is nothing more defensible. In this paper, the role of the federal government in encouraging new approaches is discussed, particularly the exploration of the use of state assessments in cross-state comparisons, and the extension of National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to a nationally representative sample for this purpose. (Author/JAZ)