Black educators and black teacher education are directly affected by the "back to basics" movement, the minimum competency testing program, and the use of standardized test scores as a criterion for teacher certification. Black educators have a high stake in the back to basics movement, and it is important for them to be involved in the definition of the basics. Black schools of education traditionally have strong ties with the elementary and secondary schools that produce their students. These ties form a basis for concerted activity to improve basic skills instruction in the early grades. Black institutions are in a unique position to work toward this goal in a manner that is responsive to cultural and societal factors that often go unrecognized. Minimum competency testing, like other forms of evaluation, has political as well as educational implications. This political influence helps to determine which competencies are included in a minimum competency test and is a determining factor in deciding what is meant by minimum. It is necessary for black educators and institutions be actively involved in the design, implementation, and assessment of the minimum competency movement. Despite its recognized deficiences, the National Teachers' Examination (NTE) has been mandated for teacher certification in some states. The NTE is also a political instrument for determining who will go into teaching. The fact that competency tests for teachers have not caught on as quickly as has the testing of students may be attributable to the power of the organized teaching profession. Black teachers and teacher educators should not overlook the possibility of a partnership with other organized teachers in a coalition to ensure the survival of black teachers in the classroom. (JD)