On Legislatively Mandated Competency-based Testing

1977 NCTE Annual Business Meeting in New York, New York

Background This resolution further highlighted the concern of professionals in English about the effects of legislation setting up testing programs for competence in the language arts.  NCTE members warned that many of these programs are not based on knowledge from research or consensus among educators as to what constitutes competence in language.  Be it therefore Resolution Resolved, that the National Council of Teachers of English oppose legislatively mandated competency-based testing until such time as it is determined to be socially and educationally beneficial;           that NCTE work with legislators and other policymakers to determine how language competence can be best assured; and           that appropriate NCTE standing committees and commissions examine alternative ways of assuring competence while determining through practice, theory, and research if competency-based education is in the best interests of all members of the educational community.