Demonstrating educational effectiveness through assessment is the lens through which students, teachers, schools, and administrators are judged. It follows, therefore, that any recommendations for teaching and learning 21st century skills will not be realized unless educators have tools to assess the growth and development of these skills in students. CCT was hired by the Partnership for 21 Century Skills (P21) to create a report that would address the following questions for P21 board members and staff:

1. What key measurement principles, methods, and terms are routinely used in field of testing and measurement?
   
2. What does the existing 21st century assessment landscape look like?
3. What recommendations that emerged from this research should the Partnership consider as it moves forward with its assessment agenda?

This research represents the first phase of what the Partnership envisions will be a comprehensive focus on 21st century assessments.