The 1978 New York City Test Report indicates that forty-three percent of those tested in that year in the City's public schools are reading at or above grade level. These results, however, when summarized in this way, are meaningless. The graph prepared for this article traces the reading levels of the school system and its 32 districts for 1974-78. The data reveal that the districts break into distinct levels of reading achievement with gaps between levels. Ten districts dwell near the norm, while four are above it and eighteen are below the norm. An equally important point is that the districts maintain a stability of rank over the five year span. Simply put, the annual reading test returns do not add to our knowledge. Citywide testing, as we've known it, must cease. The current system has led to misguided policy in the areas of teacher hiring and distribution of funds among districts. Objectives have been primarily administrative, rather than instructional. An entirely State-funded testing program has existed for some time and could be adapted within New York City to ensure continuity and comparability of results over time. A coordinated program with the State's testing procedures would, through tying measurement to instruction and skills development, better enable us to confront the problems of teaching children to read and maintaining educational standards. (Author/GC)