Book Description

The Subcommittee on Elementary, Secondary, and Vocational Education of the House Committee on Education and Labor met to consider the recommendations of the National Council on Education Standards and Testing. The report recommends the establishment of national education standards, a national system of assessments, and the establishment of a reconfigured National Education Goals Panel and a national education standards and assessment council to coordinate the development of the standards and assessments. Testifying on behalf of the Council's recommendations were M. S. Smith (Stanford University) and (L. B. Resnick, Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh and National Council on Education Standards and Testing). Opposition to the proposal for national testing was expressed by L. Darling-Hammond (National Center for Restructuring Education, Schools and Teaching, Columbia University). W. M. Haney (Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Educational Policy, Boston College) outlined a number of shortcomings in the Council report, largely in the area of national testing. Additional statements were offered by: (1) N. V. Cantu, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Texas; (2) L. Rezmierski, superintendent of Northville schools, Michigan; (3) H. D. Hoover, Iowa Basic Skills Testing, Iowa; (4) M. J. Feuer, Office of Technology Assessment, accompanied by N. Carson, Office of Technology Assessment; (5) A. Shanker, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO; (6) D. T. Kearns, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.; (7) R. Romer, Governor of Colorado, Co-Chair National Council on Education Standards and Testing; (8) K. Geiger, National Education Association, National Council on Education Standards and Testing; (9) B. Rosenberg, American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO; (10) D. M. Koretz, Rand Corporation; and (11) M. H. Kean, Association of American Publishers and CTB Macmillan/McGraw-Hill. Prepared statements by these speakers and additional prepared statements and supplemental materials are provided. (SLD)