Fatigue-crack-growth-rate tests on compact specimens have been made on a variety of materials (2024-T3, 2324-T39, 7050-T7451, 4340 steel, and Inconel-718) over a wide range in stress ratios from 0.1 to 0.9 (and 0.95 in some cases) and several K_max test conditions. Test data has been generated from threshold to near fracture using the compression precracking constant amplitude or compression precracking load reduction test methods in the threshold regime; and constant-amplitude loading at higher rates. A remote back-face strain (BFS) gage was used to monitor crack growth and to measure crack-opening loads. Local strain gages were also placed along and slightly off (about one-half thickness) the anticipated crack path to measure crack-opening loads. Elber's load-against-reduced-strain method was used to determine crack-opening loads by means of visual inspection (equivalent to a 0 % compliance offset). For a particular material, the BFS and local strain gages produced essentially the same crack-opening loads at low stress ratio (R = 0.1) conditions. But at high stress ratios (R ≥ 0.7) and K_max test conditions, the local gages produced significantly higher crack-opening loads than the BFS gage in the threshold and near-threshold regimes. Previous research had proposed that high stress ratios (R ≥ 0.7) and K_max test conditions produce closure-free conditions based on crack-mouth-opening-displacement or BFS gages, and plasticity-induced crack-closure modeling. However, crack closure under high stress ratios (R ≥ 0.7) and K_max test conditions is attributed to residual-plastic deformations, crack-surface roughness, and/or fretting-debris. From local crack-opening load measurements, the effective stress-intensity-factor range (DK_eff) appears to be uniquely related to the crack-growth rate in the threshold and near-threshold regimes.