This issue of Queensland Researcher departs from our usual practice of including major articles plus regular features* to present three substantive papers that focus on some particularly relevant issues within the upper secondary post-compulsory years of schooling.

The first paper by Ken Imison is the text of an address delivered at a recent public meeting held by the Institute. In this paper, Imison raises several critical points for consideration with respect to the nature and operation of the Board of Senior Secondary School Studies, the utility and (mis)interpretation of the tertiary entrance (TE) score, and issues of assessment in schools. He strongly advocates placing educational considerations on the discussion agenda in future deliberations of the Board.

The next two papers deal with the recent report Tertiary Entrance in Queensland: A Review. Barry McGaw, in a paper commissioned by the Joint Advisory Committee on Post-Secondary Education in Queensland, provides an assessment of the report and examines the arguments and recommendations advanced.

In response to many of the issues raised by McGaw, Graham Maxwell provides a commentary which is substantially in agreement with the overall direction of changes proposed. In his reply, Maxwell states 'I would prefer that the recommendations be implemented with McGaw's suggested modifications than not be implemented at all'.

These three papers issue a variety of challenges for decision makers at all levels and others charged with the responsibility of educational delivery in Queensland.

* Research Reports, Thesis Abstracts and Book Reviews will appear in the next issue of Queensland Researcher.