[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 83 (Thursday, June 14, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S6315]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS

  Mr. MILLER. Mr. President, in education everyone claims to be for 
high standards. That's the good news. But a lot of folks only want to 
be measured by their own standards, and they don't have a very good way 
of knowing whether their standards are high or, more importantly, 
whether they are high enough.
  That is why I am for measuring educational progress in America by 
having each State use its own standards and tests and then confirming 
progress by using a high-quality back-up examination. The National 
Assessment of Educational Progress is just such an instrument. It will 
help us get more information about achievement in our States and 
provide an independent second opinion that our student achievement 
progress is reaching all of our students and that we are not raising 
our scores just by getting a few more of our better students to do 
better.
  In the past ten years 49 States have used the National Assessment in 
one form or another. This has not led to a national curriculum and it 
is not going to. On average, more than 40 States have participated in 
any one year. Last year the State school superintendent or commissioner 
in 48 States signed up to participate.
  In the National Assessment's 30 years, never has a State or district 
expressed concern that it was being coerced to teach to the National 
Assessment tests. In fact, each test is developed through a national 
consensus process in which State standards and assessments are 
considered. Before deciding to participate, each State reviews the 
National Assessment content. State participation in the test 
development process ensures that the National Assessment is a fair 
representation of the material in math, reading and other subjects that 
states already believe is important to test.

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