Educational Performance Standards and the Economy

One of the most prominent arguments for U.S. educational reform, generally, and for the establishment of student performance standards, specifically, has been the assertion that they will create a world-class workforce. Behind this expectation is the assumption that there is strong and demonstrable evidence that higher and better educational standards and student performance are keys to higher workplace productivity. But a review of available evidence suggests only a weak relationship between test scores and economic productivity and virtually no evidence on the predictive validity of the newer performance standards. This article suggests that the educational standards movement has relied on the economic rationale largely because of its persuasiveness in stimulating educational reform rather than any compelling evidence on the links between specific educational standards and economic performance.