Educators' perceptions of the effects of state mandated testing on instructional practices and curricular decisions were studied. An ethnographic interview study was conducted with 30 fifth- and sixth-grade teachers and 12 principals from Illinois, New York, and Tennessee. Forty-one of the 42 respondents agreed to have their interviews audiotaped. Schools in each state represented a variety of enrollments from low to high socioeconomic status and varied minority composition. Teachers generally agreed that reading and mathematics sections of the state mandated tests assessed skills that more closely matched their curricula than did sections on language arts, science, or social studies. Teachers also reported altering the scope and sequence of the curriculum and eliminating concepts that were not covered on state tests. Participants also reported reluctance to use innovative instructional strategies and reported reliance on traditional instructional measures in the belief that these strategies would better prepare students for state tests. An overriding theme was the reported time constraints imposed by the pressure associated with assuring successful student performance. There is a 21-item list of references. (SLD)