The research literature on open education has reported various studies describing and qualifying the term "open" in education and in attitudes of teachers involved in such programs. To date, very few large scale endeavors to assess student achievement in open education have been completed. Studies which have been done have not shown the hoped for increased gains over more traditional programs. This paper reviews the pertinent literature on these informal educational settings, proposes a more relevant assessment model for cognitive growth in such programs utilizing criterion referenced measurement, and proposes a more adequate system of reporting student achievement. (Author)