Equal educational opportunity is the springboard for equal opportunity and is the hope of blacks, other minorities, and whites for fair participation in the economic marketplace. Standardized tests frequently contain a cultural bias that mitigates against black students, thus presenting a barrier to higher education. In many places, competency testing programs are being implemented without enough attention to how well the tests match the goals and curriculum of schooling, and little consideration has been given to how instruction should be organized to help students who do poorly on the tests. Efforts are being made to regulate standardized testing, many of which have taken the form of legislative proposals. Students of standardized testing often distinguish among several social functions tests may serve; for example, selection, placement, assessment, and guidance. While competency testing is a controversial topic, it is vitally important that in the area of teacher education it should be used to screen out inept and undertrained potential teachers. (JD)