The testing of many American Indian children using standardized exams (achievement, aptitude, ability, and intelligence tests) developed for the majority American society represents a case of cross-cultural testing which is likely to produce invalid results in the form of underestimation of student performance. Requirements for obtaining accurate and appropriate scores include matched level of test to the students, clarity and comprehensiveness in the administration of instructions, and logistics. Requirements associated with test interpretation include norms, reliability, and validity. Underestimation may occur in the standardized testing of American Indian students by students not exhibiting behaviors required in successful test-taking, students not reading the questions accurately, students not having the assumed experience or cognitive structure to respond to certain items, and students lacking the opportunity to practice key behaviors required by the test. Many American Indian students fail to exhibit successful test-taking behaviors due to a multiplicity of underlying causes: cultural beliefs, language, and the setting in which many children are reared. Test users can contribute to better test-taker performance by assuring that students have had exposure to experiences assumed in the test design, opportunities to develop requisite skills, circumstances necessary to value successful test performance, and an understanding of instructions and time requirements. (NEC)