NGA COLLEGE QUALITY PANEL FAVORS ASSESSMENT IN MANY FORMS - February 25, 1986

Sep 28, 2026

Higher-education leaders argue that a single, federally mandated test would be an undesirable addition to college oversight, urging instead a range of assessment tools tailored to institutions’ missions, student populations, and academic standards. Speakers at a National Governors’ Association task force meeting stress that public spending requires assurance that learning occurs, and propose multiple measures across the student timeline, including tests before entry, during junior year, and near graduation, while warning against “teaching to the test.”

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NGA COLLEGE QUALITY PANEL FAVORS ASSESSMENT IN MANY FORMS

Panel arguments for varied assessment methods

Proposed strategies and cautions

Tuesday,February 25,1986 # NGA COLLEGE QUALITY PANEL FAVORS ASSESSMENT IN MANY FORMS A single state or federally mandated test to assess what students learn incollege would be an undesirable addition to the nation's higher educationsystem,a panel of leading educators said last Saturday. Yet,improved assessment should be a goal of the nation's colleges and univer-sities,the panelists agreed."There is a need for a variety of assessmenttools appropriate to different institutions with different missions,studentbodies and academic standards,"said George Hanford,president of the CollegeBoard. At a meeting of National Governors'Association(NGA)Task Force on CollegeQuality,in Washington,D.C.,Missouri Gov.John Ashcroft,chairman of the taskforce,said colleges need to assess what students learn because"the public hasa right to know what it is getting for its expenditures." The task force,meeting for the second time,has been studying new policiesthat states could adopt to help measure student learning at the undergraduatelevel.The trend toward increased assessment in higher education follows amovement to ensure that the nation's schools and colleges are doing an adequatejob in educating American youth。 While faculty should be allowed to teach subjects freely,Ashcroft said,theremust be testing methods so the public can "be sure learning indeed occurs incollege."Such methods of assessment as testing students before they entercollege,during their junior year and just prior to graduation may be worth-while,he added. Hoke Smith,president of Maryland's Towson State University,and chafrman-electof the American Association of State Colleges and Universities,said schoolsmay use various types of assessment,adding that "no one instrument orindicator can assess all the goals of higher education." If a single test were instituted,Smith predicted,"the institutions …wil1teach to that test."Instead of a mandated system,Smith said states shouldrequest that each state institution develop an assessment system and report onits functions on an annual basis. Kenneth Ashworth,president of the State Higher Education Executive Officersand a commissioner on the coordinating board of the Texas College and Univer-sities System,agreed that a single test is not the answer but noted thedifficulty in finding an adequate measure of the benefits of a collegeeducation.(more) S February 25,1986 "It is very difficult to measure the value-added"from the college experience,Ashworth said."You have to have a certain amount of faith in the process aswell as in the product." Ashworth said institutions should use a variety of tests throughout college,thus pushing the institution,the students and those looking to enter collegeto improve."Somebody,perhaps everybody,must be told to shape up,"he said. Richard Millard,president of the Council of Postsecondary Accreditation,saidthere is"no foolproof way"of assessing an institution's educational qualitybased on a single set of criteria.Instead,he argued that different institu-tions exist"because there are a varlety of needs they are trying to fulfi11." For the best results,Millard said students interested in attending collegeshould outline their objectives,find an institution with a similar agenda andlook for relevant information and an assessment of the programs that interestthem.Millard added that"states should provide incentives"to assistinstitutions in their drive to improve specific program information. Bruce Carnes,the Education Department's deputy undersecretary for planning,budget and evaluation,said that while ED is behind the drive for increasedassessment efforts,"the primary impetus"should come from the states and theinstitutions themselves. ED,through its research functions,will continue to look at methods of improv-ing college quality and assessment,Carnes said."We tend to favor norm de-vices,"such as tests,he explained. The Task Force is planning one more hearing,as yet unscheduled,and

FAQs

Why do the panelists oppose a single mandatory college test?

They say one test would be undesirable and cannot assess the full range of higher-education goals across different institutions and missions.

What is the task force trying to improve regarding college assessment?

It is examining new policies states could adopt to measure undergraduate student learning and ensure learning actually occurs.

What assessment timeline do speakers consider worthwhile?

They suggest using methods such as testing students before college, during the junior year, and just prior to graduation.

Sep 28, 2026

Uploaded by Jordan Avery