From the Editor: Comparative Perspectives - Volume 9, Number 1, 2008

This special issue of the 'IEJ: Comparative Perspectives' asks a series of questions concerning national assessment exercises. Do national assessment exercises encourage merit, talent, or achievement? Can such exercises be measured, comparatively-speaking, even if educational systems differ? Can merit, talent, and achievement equate to existing job opportunities or prospects for students who graduate from such institutions? The articles in this special edition help shed light on the specifics of a select number of national assessment exercises, the circumstances surrounding their respective implementation processes, and the subsequent outcomes.