This paper outlines current trends, progress, and possibilities for fostering more authentic ways to assess students' competencies and mastery of skills needed for college, work, and civic life in the 21st century. It provides an introduction to performance assessments and their value. The authors highlight efforts to develop such assessments in…

Charter-school proponents overlook three overarching concerns. Funding must come from existing school budgets; charter-school populations are more homogeneous than in most public schools; and the constitutional separation between school and religion will be compromised. Studies in California, Arizona, and other states reveal accountability and…