Background: Much is still unknown or unclear about how and where validity issues arise in high stakes testing situations in education, and ways by which we can rectify validity problems in practice and policy contexts. Purpose: This paper is the Foreword to the Special Section in the "Teachers College Record," titled, "When…

What is the news on Florida's student performance since the passage of the A+ legislation? This brief presents a review of long-term data on five state and national indicators. It verifies outcomes and trends and examines the main premise of the A+ mandate that, given appropriate schooling, students will have equitable outcomes and access to…

Synthesizes research on standards-based reforms and accountability, with specific attention to purposes, models, and methods of inquiry. Concludes that research on reforms has been largely nonsystemic in design and has failed to help individual schools, school systems, and statewide systems develop. (SLD)