An alternative to the traditional standardized test of language proficiency administered to Israeli students at the end of secondary school is proposed as a means of giving schools more autonomy in the testing process. The test was designed based on the following assumptions: (1) the test matches the curriculum and not vice versa; (2) the classroom teacher is concerned, professional, and capable in the testing process; (3) the evaluation is independent of pre-secondary evaluation; and (4) the use of scores accomplished on tests throughout secondary school gives a more accurate psychometric picture than a single standardized test score. The alternative model for assessment in English as a second language (ESL) would provide teachers with professional training in ESL testing procedures, continuous language assessment for the last three years of secondary school, and a national monitoring and information dissemination system concerning ESL proficiency for the entire educational system. The model has been piloted in several schools in ESL, mathematics, and Hebrew writing for four years. Questions have arisen about the model, some of which will be resolved and some of which may remain deficiencies of the model. However, it is important that the alternative be evaluated on its own merit and not in comparison with the existing system. (MSE)