The objectives of the first year of the Wisconsin Assessment Program were: (1) to develop and refine the statewide assessment processes including instrument development, instrument administration, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of results; (2) to provide a preliminary profile of how well students demonstrate their knowledge and skills concerning some important aspects of mathematics and reading; and (3) to develop baseline information for measuring progress over time. The assessment involved students in grades 3 and 7, and the results are reported in terms of the population value, i.e., an estimate of the percentage of children who probably would have answered the items correctly if all the individuals at that grade level had taken the test. General limitations of the results are presented and recommendations are made to better analyze educational program strengths or weaknesses. (RC)