Among the many questions raised by minimum competency testing is the question of responsibility for the initiation and financing of these tests and any necessary remediation. The federal role is, and should remain, merely one of providing financial assistance to states who insist on pursuing their own efforts in this area. (Author/RLV)

As more states adopt minimum competency testing (MCT) programs, MCT is becoming the subject of much debate among educators and in the courts. MCT has been attacked by those who claim it discriminates against Blacks and non-English-speaking minorities. Also raised in the MCT debate is the question of educational malpractice. (RLV)

In this article, both the psychology behind minimum competency testing (MCT) and the statistics employed to determine the line between competence and incompetence are attacked. MCT is viewed as a crisis created to discredit teachers and schools and as a means of invasion of public education by state level bureaucrats and politicians. (RLV)

The imposition of minimum competency testing in high schools must be seen in a social and political context. Since many minority students have received an inferior education, minimum competency tests may be seen as a means of preventing these students from receiving their high school diplomas. (Author/RLV)

Educators still have not learned that it is impossible to effect change in the lives of children without planning. We should face the reality that most teachers do not know enough about using test performance data to design viable needs-oriented educational programs. (Author/RLV)

One problem raised by minimum competency testing is the search for effective means of remediating the learning problems of students failing the competency exams. Local school districts must rely on currently existing programs, particularly ESEA Title I programs, which have been shown to have had a limited impact on student progress in the past.…

The process of setting performance standards must be examined within the particular context in which specific approaches have been used to construct or select the criterion performance measures being utilized. (Author/RLV)

The controversy over minimum competency testing (MCT) is multi-faceted and it is the Local Education Agency (LEA) which will bear the burden of the MCT movement. Among the concerns of the LEAs are the means of assessment, the content of tests, and the curricular implications of MCT. (RLV)

The growth in the minimum competency testing movement stems not only from a concern with what students are getting from their schooling, but also from a desire to make sure that the public gets a return on its investment in education. (Author/RLV)

Describes statewide results on minimum competency testing (MCT) programs newly implemented in Texas, and discusses initial efforts to predict the impact of a specific statewide MCT program on retention and graduation in Houston. Suggests that the new MCT requirements, by discouraging high risk students who previously might have stayed in school,…

After reviewing some problems raised by Minimum Competency Testing (MCT), the authors present ideas on the role of the State Education Agencies in defining minimum competencies. Among the items discussed are the implementation time of MCT, curricular implications, the impact on children, the financing of remediation, and state versus local control…