The Assessment Policy Committee of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has directed the NAEP staff to focus the 1985-86 Assessments of Reading, Mathematics, Science, and Computer Competence on the higher-order skills. Each Learning Area Committee worked independently developing three-dimensional models. These defined what could be known (a single-step cognitive process), what could be used (two cognitive steps), and what could be synthesized and applied to new situations (three or more steps). While it was decided to exploit the discoveries of modern cognitive theory, every attempt will be made to define categories so that references back to the Bloom taxonomy used in the last two assessments will be possible. The statements of learning objectives that were hammered out by each Committee are currently being reviewed by scores of experts, teachers, and lay people. When this step is complete, each Learning Area Committee will be reconvened to finalize the objectives. (BW)