This book addresses the roles assessments play in education and provides detailed descriptions of the common assessment types, norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests, and alternative assessments. Chapter 1 discusses the current arguments for and against the various methods of assessment, the quality requirements for test instruments, and the need to pay attention to equity and bias issues. Chapter 2 addresses the development, administration, uses, and interpretation of norm-referenced testing and its strengths and weaknesses. Chapters 3 and 4 provide similar discussions of criterion-referenced testing and alternative or authentic testing approaches. Chapter 5 demonstrates an ideal assessment system and how to develop one for any school system. If assessment is to be a positive force in education, it must be implemented properly and used to improve education, rather than merely to sort students. An annotated bibliography contains 12 references. (SLD)