Three papers in this book place the current movement of accountability and State assessment in perspective and point to the emergence of a different set of "arrangements" for education than those normally accepted by Americans and a different way of framing goals for education. In the first paper, Miriam Clasby draws attention to the intended and latent consequences of a period of heavy "Federal initiative" in education. Among the latent consequences of this initiative is the emergence of strong, well staffed interstate organizations and national lay associations with local school district constituencies that could organize opinion and support policies in ways that would permit direct and effective Congressional lobbying. In the second paper, Dr. Maureen Webster draws attention to the growth of legislation mandating Statewide assessment of schools and school systems. She gives reason to argue plausibly that such legislation may, in fact, unnecessarily shape the goals of schooling itself and determine the shape that the policy-planning process will have to take. In the third paper, Naomi White sets down one approach to the problem of determining the minimal skills to which the system of schooling should attend. In her discussion, Mrs. White raises the issue of the influence of accountability in defining the goals of education, as opposed to simply evaluating success or failure in attaining those goals. (Author/JF)