Mutually exclusive but randomly equivalent stratified samples from schools participating in a study of performance assessment and control schools were used to measure change in parent opinion over time. Results demonstrated that parents' favorable ratings of standardized national tests did not imply a preference for this type of educational assessment over other types of assessment for measuring student or school progress. Parents considered report cards, hearing from the teacher, and seeing graded samples of student work as more informative than standardized tests, and they wanted comparative information to measure their own child's progress. When parents had a chance to look at performance assessments through the year, they endorsed their use for district purposes and preferred them for classroom use. Survey data like the Gallup Poll showing widespread approval of standardized tests should not be taken to mean that parents are opposed to other forms of assessment.
Appendixes contain the parent questionnaire and the interview protocol.
Generally, parents were highly satisfied with the current system for reporting student progress, although many were concerned about subjectivity and meaning of letter grades. Data were collected through focus group interviews with each of the 4 respondent groups from 10 school districts. Each group consisted of three to eight participants. The study clarifies characteristics of classroom assessment and shows that a number of issues should be addressed. Observation and the review of work samples are the main kinds of information collection procedures used in the schools studied, and narrative reports are the main form of formal communication with parents.