As of the fall of 1984, 40 states had by state mandate adopted some form of student minimum competency testing; 19 are or will be using test performance for the award of high school diplomas. In the other 10 states, local initiatives had implemented such testing programs on the school district level. Five states were using competency tests to…

The "Declaration of Independence" guarantees Americans the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, these rights have not been uniformly available to all citizens. Individuals with disabilities, for example, have received unequal treatment and have been victims of both intentional and unintentional discrimination.…