Voluntary certification is also likely to create uncertain status for teachers who fail to qualify, leading some teachers to avoid the process because of the stigma that may accompany failure. These potential problems are not insurmountable, however. They can be dealt with by ensuring procedural fairness, i.e., giving teachers an equal chance to succeed. The Board can facilitate this by publishing preparatory materials for the exam, sponsoring regional training sessions to help teachers prepare, permitting the exam to be retaken, and establishing an assessment standard that a majority of teachers can meet. In addition, there are distinct advantages to a national assessment for teachers.
National assessment is also more efficient.
It eliminates duplication in the research and development of testing and permits states to profit from economies of scale. Furthermore,the combination of state resources is bound to result in a better assessment product than any one state could develop with the necessarily limited funds at its disposal. Finally, national assessment facilitates the development of a codified knowledge base, essential for the professionalization of teachers. The journal articles should be available at most research libraries. Documents also can be order through the ERIC Document Reproduction Service.