Minimim standards and basic skills assessment activities at the federal, state, and local school district level, as of September 1977, are summarized, indicating the broad range and variety that exists nationwide. Minimal competency testing is mandated by law in eleven states: California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, and Virginia. Another ten have experimental or operating programs based on state board or state department of education rulings. They are Arizona, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. Programs are in the planning stage in fifteen states: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware. Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin. Seven of these states--Massachusettes, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington--also have legislation pending. In eleven states, minimal competency programs are under study: Alaska, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Rhode Island, and West Virginia. The remaining states--Arkansas, Montana, South Dakota, a continuing process, subject to change and legislative action. Despite difficulties in Montana, South Dakota, defining minimum level, and a concern that levels of proficiency will be set so low that they become worthless, evidence from existing programs indicates that these problems are not insurmountable. Three major measures which are available--the Adult Performance Level Program, the Basic Skills Assessment Program, and the Test of General Educational Development--are briefly described, and 24 bibliographical references are included. (CP)