Earlier this month, NCATE issued a press release punctuated with hyperbole: "For the first time in history, professional benchmarks on state licensing examinations will be developed." The announcement declares NCATE's intention to recommend minimum passing scores for the Praxis series of tests, now used in more than forty states.

But wait, we're getting a flash of deja vu here. In May 2003, NCATE President Arthur Wise announced to Congress that NCATE and Praxis's owner ETS were going to develop an "unprecedented benchmark" on teacher licensing tests. We've been waiting anxiously ever since to hear what those scores would be and thought maybe this latest announcement was the big news. Not so. It was yet another announcement of the anticipated historic event.

You can't really blame NCATE for dragging its feet. When it actually has to produce some real cut scores, the organization is bound to find itself in a real pickle. Either it will reaffirm states' already mediocre expectations for what's needed to pass or, if it dares to set the bar higher, a good percentage of its own accredited schools won't be able to meet the new standards. We'll keep you posted, but be warned: our next article on this topic may actually be the first time we write about it.