The primary purpose of the 1983 Statewide Testing Program was to assess the achievement of 4th, 7th, and 10th grade students in South Carolina public schools. The results from the Statewide Testing Program provide educators with information which facilitates the decision-making process at the State, district, and school levels. Besides the adoption of a new test for 1983 (Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills, Form U), other changes included the administration of only one test level per grade compared to two per grade previously and the inclusion of handicapped data in school, district, and State results. Many cautions concerning interpretation of norm-referenced test results are discussed including content validity problems, inappropriateness of school and district comparisons, the importance of socioeconomic influences on test results, and the dangers inherent in using the grade equivalent score. Three sets of comparisons over the years between 1977 and 1983 show a pattern of improvement and give reason for optimism about public education trends in South Carolina. The majority of the comparisons made for the years 1977 to 1983 were positive. This pattern of progress is encouraging and is viewed as an indication of improvement in the statewide instructional process. (Author/PN)