The Center for the Study of Evaluation's (CSE) Test Use Project (1979) has gathered information that is nationally representative and illustrative of the entire range of tests being administered. The primary intention of this phase of the ongoing study is to identify the direct and indirect costs of testing. The four papers included here offer school districts a fresh vantage point from which to consider how their assessment programs can be improved to meet a variety of decision audiences. Bruce Choppin discusses the survey's sampling procedures and offers an overview of the main findings, concluding with ideas to reduce the amount of testing time while maintaining its relevance for various audiences. Donald Dorr-Bremme amplifies the initial findings in a teacher-as-practical-decision-maker context, with implications for the design and implementation of future assessment programs. James Burry discusses CSE's test use findings indicating teachers' stated uses of assessment information for classroom decisions and recommending methodological, technical, and organizational considerations to be addressed to produce more efficient assessment programs. James Catterall discusses cost-accounting, cost-effectiveness, and cost-benefit paradigms, and offers a theoretical model for thinking about costs and testing. (PN)