New test for 8th graders from the College Board

There's a really interesting article in the NY Times today about a test released Wednesday by the College Board for 8th grade students that's meant to determine their preparedness for high school (and college). It will be available for students next fall, and consists of multiple choice questions in critical reading, writing skills and math. The test is "intended only for assessment and instructional purposes." You can go here for more deatils.

There are, of course, two sides to this. Some people are complaining because it's pushing down testing to even younger students. On the other hand, I praise it for being a test that teachers can actually use to assess students. To me, that's one of the most frustrating aspects of all of the NCLB testing requirements; the results are not usable at the classroom level to actually improve instruction and student learning. I'd be curious to see a sample test and to know how it will actually be used. Supposedly, the results are only intended to be used at the local level and have no bearing on college admissions.

Does anyone know more?