This discussion of educational trends of interest to school superintendents focuses on three issues: (1) the general decline of birth rates, school enrollments, staff, facilities, and expenditures for instruction; (2) the increase in mandated assessments and programs brought on by declining academic performance and political influences; (3) the care that must be taken in using and interpreting test data. The author suggests three variables that are important in assessing the effectiveness of teachers or school programs: the students' characteristics; the characteristics of their homes and communities; and those school-related factors which may affect test scores. School staff must recognize the fact, he adds, that the school has little or no control over some factors which contribute to student achievement. (GDC)