Legislation To Create National System Of Standards, Assessments Under Fire

By Julie A. Miller

WASHNGTON--Lawmakers leery of the idea of creating a national assessment system apparently have enough support to make major changes in pending legislation that could jeopardize the enterprise.

In the past few weeks, members of the House Education and Labor Committee have been engaged in a spirited debate over proposals to launch such a system.

"There would be some changes that would make the whole deal fall apart,'' Deputy Secretary of Education David T. Kearns acknowledged last week after testifying before the House Subcommittee on Elementary,...