Various notions about the obstacles to, and the conditions needed for, school districts' linking of externally mandated testing and evaluation with instruction are discussed. Two major points are made, the first being that evaluation and testing communities must attend to the needs of administrators and teachers as they are manifest in the…

An investigation of how some school districts construct and maintain needed links between evaluation/testing and curricular/instructional activities is presented. Researchers must build on the twin strands of research about school and school district organization and developments in testing, evaluation methodology. School district characteristics…

Actual and potential relationships between evaluators and linkers--curriculum or management specialists who disseminate the products of evaluation to school districts--were explored. Evaluation and linkage evolved as distinct educational occupations, stimulated by federal involvement in research, development, and school improvement since the early…