This chronological review of research and educational literature traces the growth in the use of standardized and locally developed assessment instruments in community colleges over the past decade. The literature review covers the following aspects of the issue of student assessment: (1) studies from the early 1970's showing a negative attitude toward testing among California community colleges, and the predominance of the American College Testing Program (ACT) tests among colleges that did assess their students; (2) the increased incidence of mandatory testing programs; (3) the increase in the use of locally developed tests; and (4) the expansion of the skill areas being tested and the purposes for which the test scores were used. (HB)