The selection of second and fifth grade students for the Beginning Teacher Evaluation Study (BTES) is described. The BTES investigates teacher behaviors which relate to student achievement in reading and mathematics. From a group of teachers, schools, and districts volunteering to participate, 46 schools in 14 school districts were selected. The Selection Battery of achievement tests (reading and mathematics tests for each grade level) was administered in these 40 second grade and 41 fifth grade classrooms, in order to select the target students for the investigation. High and low cutting scores defining average levels of student test performance were tentatively established. The lower limit was, in some cases, lowered slightly in order to meet the selection criteria. In no instances was the upper limit raised. The selection objectives were to gain equal male and female representation in each class, and to obtain at least 30 classes at each grade level having at least six students within the specified range of cutting scores. The classroom teachers helped to remove certain students from the list of eligible targets: those who would be moving out of the district, and those who were repeating that grade level. Brief descriptions of the tests and the resulting data are presented. (GDC)