RSA 193-C:1 Statement of Purpose.

I. Improvement and accountability in education are of primary concern to all of the citizens of New Hampshire. A well-educated populace is essential for the maintenance of democracy, the continued growth of our economy, and the encouragement of personal enrichment and development.
II. A statewide education improvement and assessment program built upon the establishment of academic standards specifying what students should know and be able to do is an important element in educational improvement. Such a program also serves as an effective measure of accountability and student performance when the assessment exercises or tasks are valid and appropriate representations of the knowledge and skills that students are expected to achieve.
III. Widespread participation in the es