This paper describes the development of the Basic Educational Skills Test (BEST) in the Austin Independent School District. In 1982 future options for the AISD minimum competency program, which requires all students to meet minimum proficiency levels in reading and mathematics before graduation, were evaluated against legal and local criteria. It was decided to develop an item bank that would allow the generation of multiple, parallel forms of a competency test to be administered: to students in tutorial courses; to senior transfers; and in special testing sessions to students meeting the course requirements, but not yet meeting the minimum competency requirement, for graduation. Important issues during the BEST development process fell into six general categories: (1) identification of objectives; (2) item acquisition; (3) item calibration; (4) test formatting; (5) test production; and (6) item and test booklet security. (BS)