Provides a practical, student-friendly introduction to the major concepts and everyday issues in this field. Superbly organized, pedagogically sound, and thoroughly up-to-date, it shows teachers and prospective teachers how to conduct first-rate assessment in their own classrooms as well as how to understand and interpret state and national testing programs, including the latest developments from IDEA and NCLB. The text emphasizes a best-practices approach to assessment and a hands-on approach to learning.