There is currently a conflict between educational accountability and the distrust of standardized testing. Concern for the quality of education is based on evidence of students' academic dificiencies, the decline in test scores, and increasing education costs and school taxes. As a result of criticism, states have mandated, or are considering, competency testing programs. Occupational competency is also being certified more widely. Concurrently, criticism of testing programs is being voiced mainly by three groups: professional educators; reformers, and free-lance expose writers. Some of the most frequent criticisms include invalid tests; reliance on objective tests; labeling students; the influence of external testing programs; test anxiety; test bias; and norm-referenced test emphasis rather than use of criterion-referenced tests. (MH)