A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

FOR RELEASE                                Contact:  David Thomas November 28, 1995                                  (202) 401-1579

States receiving grants are Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon and Pennsylvania.

The funds will be used to help cover the costs of developing, field-testing and evaluating tests that will measure student progress in meeting rigorous state standards in core subjects.

"All students benefit from high expectations and high standards," Riley said, "and we are making funds available under the Goals 2000: Educate America Act to help states put their own challenging standards in place. The next step is to develop better tests that accurately measure student achievement in the basics and major subjects. What these states learn will be of value to other states facing the same concerns."

The grantees are expected to develop testing programs to measure the progress of all students in reaching standards set by the states, including those with disabilities and those whose first language is not English.

For example:

• Oregon will develop and evaluate statewide assessments aligned to content standards in reading, writing, mathematics, and science.

• Delaware is developing a comprehensive assessment system that will measure how well students are meeting state content standards in language arts, mathematics, social science, and science.

• Pennsylvania will develop and implement student assessments in science and the arts that require them to perform tasks and engage in problem-solving.

Recipients of the four-year grants were selected from 27 applicants.

The Council of Chief State School Officers is a national organization representing the public officials who head the departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, five extra-state jurisdictions and the Department of Defense Dependents Schools.

The Assessment Development and Evaluation program is authorized by section 220 of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act (P.L. 103-227).

NOTE TO EDITORS: Attached is a list of the grantees and award amounts. Summaries of individual projects are available upon request.