In order to prepare young people to effectively contribute to and benefit from life in the 21st century, we must develop effective ways to measure whether or not they are learning what they need to know. Toward this end, we feel performance assessments should be further explored.  The purpose of this field review is to understand previous efforts at scaling up the use of performance assessments across districts and states. Through systematic description and comparison of seven large-scale initiatives, as well as analogous efforts from teacher certification, medicine, and law, the paper identifies the strengths and vulnerabilities in each initiative. The review concludes with implications for standards and procedures that will support the success of using performance assessments as part of a balanced and rigorous assessment system.

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