This report is submitted by the Board of Education in response to House Joint Resolution 269, adopted by the 1973 session of the Virginia General Assembly, in which the Board of Education was "directed to study and develop a set of criteria and reasonable tests and standards to measure a child's level of performance."

To assist the Board in carrying out its assignment, the Superintendent of Public Instruction designated the State Advisory Committee on Testing and Assessment to work with Frank A. Cain, Director of Program Evaluation, and Claude A. Sandy, Supervisor of Testing, in preparing this report.

The Advisory Committee is composed of the following persons:

Mrs. Jeannette H. Anderson, Chairman, English Department, Bethel High School, Hampton
Miss Donna G. Doyle, Coordinator of Testing, Norfolk
Walter A. Harrow, Jr., Superintendent of Schools, Essex County
Joseph A. Kyle, Director of Testing, Roanoke County
William Hull, Member, Norfolk City School Board, Norfolk
Mrs. Lorraine Lester, Teacher, Wallace Elementary School, Washington County
Mrs. Alice G. Russell, Principal, Mineral Elementary School, Mineral
William G. Thomas, Director of Instruction, Amherst County
Herman Melton, Member, Pittsylvania County School Board, Chatham
Miss Donna Gail Carr, Teacher, Bryant Intermediate School, Fairfax County
Don S. Ayers, Assistant Supervisor of Guidance, State Department of Education, Richmond

Periodic evaluation of pupil achievement in all curricular areas is necessary in an effective instructional program. Therefore, the Board of Education welcomes the opportunity to study and report to the General Assembly on the need for criteria and reasonable tests and standards for measuring pupil performance.