http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/21/education/texas-legislators-seek-to-pare-standardized-tests.html?hpw&pagewanted=print Standardized testing has been the norm in U.S. states since the "No Child Left Behind" act passed Congress and was signed by President George W. Bush administration. NCLB mandated standarized tests. Imposition of standardized tests across the USA created a great deal of controversy unrelenting at this writing. For better or worse, standardized testing may become more in-demand across the USA as the Federal 2010(?) Common Core Curriculum for K-12 students becomes more widely adopted. Conservative Texas legislators are attacking the Pearson Corporation which has supplied Texas K-12 public education institutions with a number of standardized tests for years (since 1980 for Texas, but o/w how many years?). Their motives for legislating severe constraints on Pearson and other test suppliers remains to be determined. jgw 13.04.20