The Florida Court decision reaffirms a state's right to impose a diploma sanction when competency tests are valid. Testing specialists now have a precedent for demonstrating curricular and instructional validity. Competency testing programs are a useful method for implementing instructional improvements. (DWH)

State legislative action to control and reward teaching quality has resulted in the coming of age of systematic teacher performance evaluation for certification, merit pay, or career ladder advancement decisions. This article overviews issues of credibility and practicality--including test design, validity, and reliability--which arise when…