Giordana (education, U. of North Florida) examines how tests originally designed to assess student progress became the foundations of curricula, learning materials, and practice, and then expanded beyond schools into other public and private institutions. He starts with the influence of science on behavior studies and its move into the educational arena, and he then describes how standardized testing became an expected part of the education process. He examines the entrepreneurs and evangelists of the very profitable testing industry, how it found political allies, how and if charges of racism have modified practice. The closing commentary addresses testing's place in political debates today. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)