The identification of critical writing skills was the first step in a project designed to specify language skills that should be included in instruments for assessing students' entry into and exit from bilingual classrooms. Writing skills were screened according to three criteria: appearance on state or local competency lists, textbook emphasis, and the nature of a skill as either a prerequisite of skills at a higher grade level or a subskill of another skill. The list was consequently reduced to approximately 180 different skills, which were assigned to appropriate grade levels that were derived from textbook data. The skills were then organized by categories (handwriting, spelling, mechanics, language, general discourse, and discourse products) into a framework of writing skills. Next, skill specifications were written to delineate each skill and to ensure its appropriate assessment. For most skills, three or more sample assessment items were written. Among the problems encountered in the development of the writing skill specifications were (1) the discrepancy between the simplicity of the skill statement and the complexity of the actual skill, (2) adequate directions, and (3) the development of written responses and multiple choice items. (The appendix consists of sample skill specifications.) (HOD)