The Evolution of Assessment Policy: A View from Virginia

• Published in: Change (New Rochelle, N.Y.) Vol. 42; no. 2; pp. 40 - 44
• Main Authors: Erwin, T. Dary, DeFilippo, Joseph G.
• Format: Magazine Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia Taylor & Francis Group 01.03.2010; Heldref Publications; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Accountability; Campuses; College campuses; College students; Colleges; Colleges & universities; Communication; Core competencies; Councils; Educational leadership; Educational objectives; Evaluation; Graduate studies; Higher Education; Land grant universities; Learning; Outcomes of Education; Reporting requirements; School campuses; State colleges; State Policy; Student Development; Students; Task forces; Undergraduate education; Universities; Virginia; Virginia; United States > US
• ISSN: 0009-1383; 1939-9146
• DOI: 10.1080/00091381003590878

A virtual tsunami of accountability policy proposals--from national taskforces, higher education organizations, the federal government, and others--has washed over higher education in recent years. Almost forgotten in this profusion of proposals is the role of the states, which have a large investment in student learning, and--in some cases--a long history of work in ensuring institutional accountability for that learning. This article takes up the case of Virginia, one of the first state entrants into the arena of assessment mandates. It first describes the evolution of the mandate over a period of 22 years; it then presents the thinking of two coordinating board members who led a recent revision in Virginia's state-wide assessment mandate as one example of how concerned and influential citizens view the issue currently. Lessons drawn from the history and current status of assessment in Virginia may well be both of inherent interest and practically useful to other states and multi-campus systems considering new policy directions related to this aspect of the accountability agenda.