A wonderful and straightforward resource for parents seeking jargon-free answers and guidance about educational tests. This useful resource enhances understanding about the purpose of standardized testing and explains how various types of assessments relate to what is going on in classrooms. Most important, Dr. Giordano provides an accessible resource that can promote knowledgeable parental advocacy for valid, reliable, and common-sense educational assessment in our schools.

Michael S. Rosenberg, PhD, dean and professor, School of Education, State University of New York at New Paltz

In this volume, Giordano provides a common sense framework for understanding the morass of contemporary high stakes testing. Multiple viewpoints are considered in an effort to provide both the educator and lay person with a broad sense of the political, sociological, and practical issues surrounding the testing movement.

Larry G. Daniel, PhD, dean, Zucker Family School of Education, The Citadel

Issues about the value of testing students in schools has been an age-old conundrum. How non-educators, particularly parents, understand the meaning of test results has been clouded in educational jargon. The author provides a text that can allow parents to have issues addressed, information provided, and questions regarding what tests really mean answered.

Elliott Lessen, PhD, dean and professor emeritus, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

The volume is not propaganda and does not lay out the path to true and right. It does not try to make up people’s minds but rather tries to open them to what lies ahead. It invites readers to consider the questions that have been raised about tests and carefully judge the answers that have been provided. (From the Foreword)

Raymond P. Lorian, PhD, dean, College of Education, Towson University