The School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 mandates standards-based assessment and skills certification as an integral part of a comprehensive school-to-work (STW) system. An ideal STW assessment system would span elementary through postsecondary education and culminate in assessment of skills at the workplace. It would articulate in progressive and logical fashion and reinforce and measure individuals' proficiency with respect to agreed-upon standards. Skills assessment development and implementation must involve a partnership of educators and industry representatives. Starting in high school, however, industry must assume more responsibility and ultimately assume the lead. An ideal STW assessment and certification system would include assessment of the following skills in the following settings: academic and general workplace skills in middle school; academic, general workplace, and industry core skills in grade 10; academic, general workplace, industry core, and occupational family skills in grade 12; and academic, general workplace, industry core, occupational family, and specific occupational skills in higher education and the workplace. The ideal STW assessment model would recognize differences between education's and industry's perspectives on key assessment issues (including standards, accountability, legal defensibility, multiple measures, cost, marketing, and portability) and bridge those differences to pave the way for successful industry-education partnerships. (Contains 30 references.) (MN)