For now the correlation between test results and course performance is .45 (roughly the same as between SAT scores and college GPA).

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It's also clear that there's much we want to know about student, teacher and school performance that cannot be determined from test results alone.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

To the extent possible, nonnuclear tests are used to assess weapon safety and performance and together with past nuclear test results are used to validate computer simulations.

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There was also strong opposition to a number of other proposals, including whole-school performance bonuses based on test and exam results (76% disagreed with this) and the "fast-tracking" of bright graduates onto higher salaries (54% were opposed).

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It's clear that systems that gauge student, teacher and school performance on standardized test scores put intense pressure on those results and inevitably tempt people to finagle them.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

She also highlighted a report earlier this week which argued that the international evidence did not show any clear link between performance-related pay for teachers and pupils' test results.

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Using science test results from the major international PISA study, which compares the performance of different education systems, it shows that there are wide differences in the levels of resilience.

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Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: in-orbit test or satellite failures, performance degradation, in-orbit risks and anomalies, or improper orbital placement of ViaSat-1.

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