This book describes effective approaches to reporting and using datafrom national educational assessment exercises in order to improve thequality of students; learning. Chapter 1 outlines some of themain factors affecting the utilization and non-utilization of nationalassessment findings. Chapters 2 and 3 describe the types of report thatare needed to inform users of the findings of an assessment. Chapter 4outlines general issues that merit consideration in translatingassessment findings into policy and action. This is followed bychapters on the specific uses of national assessment data for policyand educational management, for teaching, and to promote publicawareness. The concluding chapter identifies conditions that are likelyto optimize use of the findings of a national assessment and suggestsways in which national assessment activities could be modified andenhanced with a view to increasing their value to users.