This report, mandated by Ohio's 119th General Assembly, examines the fairness and appropriateness of the state's ninth-grade proficiency test. Under the assumption that it is indeed fair and appropriate to have a single, statewide graduation standard for all students, the study focuses on the issue of whether the test, as developed and administered, is a fair and appropriate instrument for implementing the standard. The Legislative Office of Education Oversight (LOEO) evaluated the process used to develop the test and its questions, examined the differences in test scores across student populations, and conducted 40 interviews with teachers, principals, superintendents, local school board members, business persons, and parents. Twenty students were also interviewed in two focus groups in an urban school. The test measures proficiency in mathematics, reading, writing, and citizenship, and students have at least eight attempts to pass part of the test. The LOEO found the test fair and appropriate in that it was developed according to widely accepted proficiency standards, and teachers and students had 6 years to prepare for the test requirement. Passing scores were deemed achievable by most students, and the test was considered to have met its intended purpose, providing evidence that students have achieved a minimum level of education. Five appendixes present a practice test, scoring criteria for the writing test, the desired learning outcomes, and two tables of information on students passing the test. (Contains three exhibits and two appendix tables.) (SLD)