This document comments on the future of educational testing in the United States and the plans of the Bush administration for increased use of testing for educational accountability. The "achievement gap" does not appear to be closing. One of the keys to closing the gap is having the data to understand it so that teachers can use test results appropriately. The president's plan calls for school-by-school report cards with mathematics and reading tests broken down by ethnicity, gender, disability, and English proficiency. Sanctions and rewards based on closing achievement gaps and improving English proficiency can help, but creating an accountability system does not automatically produce a productive learning environment. The rewards/sanctions system needs to be planned carefully to avoid being trivial, counterproductive, or corrupted. President Bush's plans require testing some 22 million students in grades 3 through 8 each year in reading and mathematics. The plan also requires that such tests be aligned with the state's academic standards. To accomplish this, a major test creation and administration effort will be required in a number of states. This is doable given sufficient time and resources. Any testing program, however, is only as good as the weakest link in the process. The stakes are high, and it is essential that test developers implement safeguards established by the assessment profession. The president's testing program should go forward, but it should be done right. Recommendations are made to bring this about. (SLD)