Some insights into the development of an eleventh grade test of "adult functional competency" are provided. The evolution of the test from its first mention to its translation into a test item pool is traced. An attempt is made to identify some of the instructional, measurement, and legal implications inherent in various decisions which shaped the test development process. The specifics of this paper are peculiar to a test required as part of the South Carolina Basic Skills Assessment Program; however, many of the aforementioned implications are applicable to test development projects carried out in other settings. (Author/GK)