The National Teacher Examinations (NTE), were first administered in 1940. Teacher examinations had existed in the United States since colonial New England. During the late 1920's, intelligence tests became popular; teaching aptitude, subject matter competence, and knowledge of testing were also measured. In 1931, a cooperative program of the Teachers College Personnel Association and the American Council on Education tested entering education majors. Quality was found to vary considerably. A large-scale evaluation program, initiated by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, tested high school and college students in Pennsylvania. The Cooperative Test Service (CTS) of the American Council on Education, organized in 1930, provided teacher tests for participating school districts. The tests covered English comprehension and expression, reasoning, general culture, professional information, contemporary affairs, and relevant subject areas. The director, Ben Wood, promoted use of the test as one criterion for teacher selection, while making statements about the mediocrity of teachers. The CTS's first NTE, developed in 1939,resembled its earlier versions. It stressed basic intellectual and communication skills, cultural and contemporary background, and professional information. These areas are still important in the current NTE, which is administered by Educational Testing Service. (GDC)