Money and time should be reallocated for such testing, dropping tests unrelated to standards. Testing takes time, money and effort. Therefore the Goals Panel believes state assessment systems should focus on measuring all students' attainment of standards which are broadly understood by the public. Assessments should produce results that are clear and useful to educators, parents, and the public. Assessments should serve as tools in states attempts to meet standards and improve instruction.
Textbooks are where the students meet the standards.
Currently textbooks have been called the nation's de facto curriculum. To select such materials, educators in local districts and states need in-depth processes, selection criteria that include alignment with standards, and training in their use. An independent source should provide high quality narrative reviews of textbooks and instructional materials to schools and the public. These reviews need to address the overall merit of the textbooks and related instructional materials, how well they explain the underlying concepts in the subject area, how they balance depth and breadth and how well they represent the subject area standards. Teachers should be provided training to select the textbooks and materials that will help them meet challenging standards.