The dreams and hopes of of educators for a better world are tempered by the realities of reporting and accountability systems. In Measures of Success, 13 known and respected practitioners and researchers explore the theory and practice of assessment and accountability. The contributing authors include Jay Derrick, Kathryn Ecclestone, Juliet Merrifield, Jan Hagston, Dave Tout, Ralf St. Clair, Alisa Belzer, Katrina Grieve, William Fagan, Robin Millar, Karen Geraci, Christine Pinsent-Johnson, and Pat Campbell.

Building on the premise that literacy is complex and multi-faceted, the authors define the dominant types of assessment tools and then shift to the broader questions of assessment for whom and for what.

In Part 1, the authors describe standardized, diagnostic, competency-based, and performance-based assessment tools.

In Part 2, the authors provide insight into the assessment and accountability systems in Canada, the United States, Scotland, England, Wales, and Australia.

Part 3 provides a set of seven key principles to guide effective accountability systems.

"If I had to choose a single must-read for all literacy providers and policy-makers, Measures of Success would be it."
—Linda Shohet, Executive-Director, The Centre for Literacy

"This book is indeed a critical contribution to the field at a time when accountability rules."
—Dr. Sondra Stein, National Director (retired), Equipped for the Future Initiative

"This book is packed with useful information! It doesn't shy away from the complexities and debates at the heart of this field. Instead, it brings them out of the shadows and makes them accessible to practitioners and policy-makers alike."
—Nancy Jackson, University of Toronto

"As a whole, this book presents a compelling case for fundamental changes in our thinking about what we test, how we test it, and how we apply test results."
—Dr. Regie Stites, Program Manager, Center for Educational Policy, SRI International