Overview

As knowledge increasingly replaces raw materials and labor as a key resource in economic development, the availability of human knowledge and skills is critical in determining a country's rate of economic development and its competitiveness in international markets. The growing use of national assessment capacity has enabled ministries of education across the world to describe national levels of learning achievement in key subject areas; compare achievement levels of key subgroups, such as boys and girls, ethnic groups, urban and rural students, and public and private school students; and provide evidence to support claims about standards of student achievement. Despite growth in assessment activity, the potential value of the data that assessments can provide remains underappreciated. The requisite skills to conduct assessments require development, and even countries that carry out national assessments or participate in international ones may not yet be able to fully exploit the information yielded. 'Assessing National Achievement Levels in Education' describes the purposes and features of national assessments, as well as issues in designing, implementing, analyzing, and reporting. It also describes major international, regional, and national assessments in a range of countries. This book will be of interest to national, regional, and state governments; research institutions; and universities.