Raises philosophical and technical questions about the Tennessee minimum competency testing program, including: what subject and skills are basic; who determines what competencies are minimal; what should be the consequences of failure; who is responsible for remediation of failing students; do or should skills being taught match skills being…

Discusses two reasons why the state of writing performance may worsen when, beginning in 1983, Tennessee high school students must pass a proficiency test as a condition for graduation; reasons are the objective nature of the test and the language performance objectives which the test proposes to measure. (NEC)

Comments on how language should be taught, language as an evolving medium, and the purpose of language to express meaning. Notes limitations of the Minimum Competency Test and mentions how adoption of Paideia Proposal suggestions might affect language study. (MH)