Design changes include a definition of age eligibility, moving from testing at three points in the school year to a single period eligibility, moving from testing at three points in the school year to a single period in the spring for all three age/grade levels, in the spring for all three age/grade levels, inclusion of four subject areas (reading, science, mathematics, and computer inclusion of four subject areas (reading, science, mathematics, and computer competency), and greater emphasis on higher-order thinking competency), and greater emphasis on higher-order thinking skills in all four areas. These changes pose interesting challenges with skills in all four areas. These changes pose interesting challenges with respect to linking to past data for trend analyses, respect to linking to past data for trend analyses, ascertaining interrelationships among all four subject areas with partially ascertaining interrelationships among all four subject areas with partially balanced designs, coping with potential balanced designs, coping with potential multidimensionality in IRT scaling of substantive achievement areas such as science and multidimensionality in IRT scaling of substantive achievement areas such as science and mathematics, and assessing the generalizability mathematics, and assessing the generalizability of higher- order thinking skills both within and across subject areas of higher-order thinking skills both within and across subject areas.