Most information on TOEIC washback consists of anecdotal evidence rather than systematic data. Accounts concerning the impact of this test on teachers suggest mixed results. Ikeda (2005) affirms that most teachers at Yamaguchi University feel grateful to have a placement test such as the TOEIC to streamline classes. Using an external performance criteria rather than each teacher's subjective assessment may, in his words, "level the playing field" in terms of English achievement. Noting the wide gap of English ability among entering freshmen, he echoes the TOEIC sales literature by stating that the TOEIC provides standardized proficiency criterion for streaming.