Standardized tests are not so standard across states

It probably didn't take much of a study to figure that out, but a study was done nonetheless.

The same problem may arise even within states...like ours, for instance.

And just what are we testing on these standardized tests?  NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) results for civics show that we're doing badly in that subject as well.  But I'm not sure these kind of test items are proof of that.

The common core, and common assessment instruments that follow from it, might help address some of these problems.

At least if we all agree on a common core, and we develop some sort of common assessment of that core, and we apprehend the strengths and weaknesses of both, we can talk about students and their performance in something of a common language.  That's a good start.