Both norm-referenced and criterion-referenced interpretations of student, school, district, and state testing data can be improved by customizing the traditional norm-referenced test. Improvements that can be made include: (1) increasing the relevance of the test to the curriculum and (2) having greater confidence in the national comparative information. Testing time can also be reduced. For the past several years, Texas has used a model state criterion-referenced test that was statistically equated to a nationally norm-referenced test. In spite of the reduced testing time and greater relevance to the curriculum of this approach, Texas will leave this model in 1990 for one that may be more successful in producing scores that approach norm validity. A second model of a custom-made test is one in which state or district-developed criterion-referenced items are combined with a complete norm-referenced test. Norm invalidity may still be a problem if norm-referenced scores are inflated by instruction targeted at the objectives. In Tennessee, a third model of a customized test remedies the shortcomings of the first two models and provides objective scores for instructional planning and norm-referenced scores for national comparisons. Customized norm-referenced tests offer a viable alternative to both norm-referenced and criterion-referenced tests. (SLD)