When the state legislators of Illinois mandated a full-scale statewide assessment program in reading/language arts, the Illinois Association of Teachers of English (IATE) made its stand clear: that tests for Illinois students must be created, designed, and executed by Illinois English/language arts educators, and that a writing sample was an obvious and necessary part of such a test. IATE exerted significant influence for change, and a writing sample is now part of the assessment process in Illinois. (SR)