The author examines previous efforts to establish certifying examinations for high school students and their effects on curriculum and students, particularly minorities. Also, to introduce readers to the rest of this theme issue on testing, he briefly discusses test validity, cutoff scores, and effects on teachers. (SJL)

This article reviews developments in the field of educational measurement over the preceding 20 years, focusing on criterion-referenced measurement, item response theory, standard-setting methods, and equating methods. (TJH)