Improving achievement testing depends on advances in the conceptualization of the skill domains on which student achievement is assessed. Discussed are the nature, elements, and construction of necessary frameworks for the skill domains of interest. Construction includes strategies for determining component skills, interrelationships among…

This paper outlines a proposal for "local program coordination" and assesses its consequences; discusses its educational rationale; describes how local coordination would work and what issues must be explored in assessing its merits; and looks ahead to changes that will affect the prospects for implementing this proposal. (Author/BW)

Several aspects of national competency tests are discussed: two conceptualizations; arguments pro and con; the federal perspective; a distillation of support and opposition to arguments judged unique to national competency tests; and a hypothetical procedure for implementation. (MH)

This researcher discusses what he has learned about the field of program evaluation and makes three observations: (1) Testing does not define key objectives in evaluation. (2) Politics influences what clients want to know. (3) Case studies are necessary for epistemological reasons. (LMO)

The author perceives the field of evaluation to be changing in several significant ways: (1) support for planning efforts is diminishing; (2) numbers of full-time staff working on these projects is diminishing; (3) personnel specialists are becoming generalists; (4) specialties are becoming blurred; and (5) conceptual and technical paradigms are…