The following statement by Mark is very relevant for our situation:
"Finally, I think there is a real and important paradox to understand here. If you are serious about improving student achievement, then you have to focus on the long term development of system
capacity; And if you focus too much on student achievement you will actually impair the
effectiveness of the LSC in developing that long term capacity..."

All one must do is visit schools throughout the year and listen as teachers talk about what they are doing and not doing in the name of improving student achievement to see how we limit the potential of the LSC work. More important is the impact on students - the boring test review, all they miss due to highstakes testing. We must use and invent new yardsticks to measure the impact of professional development and student learning. I am suggesting each needs an appropriate yardstick and by using appropriate tools we can begin to establish new norms for assessment. At the very least, teachers and students see multiple forms of assessment are important.