Editorial

No matter where we are in the world, assessment issues continue to cause debate and contention. Continual international comparisons of student performance, such as PISA, as well as those used within national and local jurisdictions, fuel media and political debates. The political desire for accountability and “good news” in student results also appeals to a range of discourses within societies: to raise the achievement of particular groups of students; as an argument for the privatisation of schooling; or for the introduction of higher standards or fairer tests. For educators, however, particularly in New Zealand where Assessment Matters is published, using assessment to improve learning, especially for those students most at risk of underachievement, stands out as of most interest.