In order to compose equivalent certification tests in the basic skills in reading, mathematics calculations and applications, and writing for high school graduation requirements, the San Jose Unified School District, California, used the Rasch computer program to arrive at the scaled difficulty level of test items. The procedure for achieving a Rasch scaled item bank included: (1) production of Rasch unit scale values (RIT); (2) determination of the difficulty index of each competency; (3) production of the average difficulty of each performance indicator (PI) in RITs. Equivalent tests can be constructed from the scaled item bank using RIT values or difficulty levels for each PI and/or competency which average the same as the first tests. A degree of flexibility can be built in by using scaled items of RIT values such that their average is equal to the desired level. In addition, equal cutting scores on tests are maintained. Whatever the quality or criterion of the first test, the second will be nearly an equivalent version of it. (RL)