Minimum competency testing is a type of criterion-referenced assessment that requires examinees to demonstrate a minimum threshold of knowledge, skill, or ability in order to be deemed competent in the construct being measured. The assessments are usually used as part of a decision-making process, often as an exit exam or to award examinees with a credential based on their score. The entry that follows describes the application and history of minimum competency testing, including a highlight of relevant court cases regarding students’ opportunities to learn content measured by minimum competency assessments.

As the name suggests, minimum competency exams tend to measure basic skills because they represent the bare minimum an individual would need to know in a content area. Minimum competency tests are not intended to ...