This satire about a school for animals lampoons the idea that students of varying abilities and talents can be fairly judged by a single set of proficiency standards developed by teachers. (SJL)

To set a standard on the "beardedness" test (see TM 507 062) the probability that a student with a specific score will be judged as bearded must be estimated for each test score. To get an unbiased estimate of that probability, a representative sample of students at each test score level must be chosen. (BW)

Livingston's (TM 507 218) response to Rowley (TM 507 062) is compared with the original Zieky and Livingston formulation of the Contrasting Groups Method of setting standards. (BW)

Satirizes the teaching of basic skills in isolation and the placing of test results above true learning. (RL)

Survey research establishes that beardedness correlates with many desired outcomes and supports that a minimal level of beardedness be set as a prerequisite for high school graduation. Research problems of concept clarification, domain-definition, instrument development, and standard setting methods are discussed. The political considerations of…