This article addresses President Clinton 's call for a National Voluntary Mathematics Test (NVMT) in the eighth grade. First, we discuss the form and content of the NVMT Our analysis suggests that several unanswered questions regarding the validity of the test devalue the information it can provide for students, parents, and teachers. Second, we describe the consequences of implementing a national test of student performance. We contend that these consequences require additional policy initiatives designed to address the effects of test implementation. We conclude that the enactment of the NVMT as currently proposed is unwise.
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