State education agencies are in increasing agreement regarding the basic principles that should underlie state educational assessment programs, though some areas of divergent opinion remain. The agencies generally accept the ideas that comparisons between states will be made, that assessment programs should serve multiple purposes, that meaningful…

This paper reviews and critiques empirical evidence concerning knowledge gaps and misconceptions among secondary school students, parents/guardians, and educators about postsecondary education and student financial assistance opportunities and prerequisites, in particular, how Michigan's middle school based Project Awareness may affect student…