Assessment

Over time, changes to state and federal statute as well as to the state-mandated curriculum, currently the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), have required the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to expand the state assessment program, making it more inclusive of and accessible to all student groups. Whether students are served through general education, special education, or bilingual/English as a Second Language programs, the state tests provide a snapshot of the degree to which students are learning the TEKS.

From the TEA Website...

Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)
TAKS measures a student’s mastery of the state-mandated curriculum, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). TAKS is administered for

• Grades 3–9 reading
• Grades 3–10 and exit level mathematics
• Grades 4 and 7 writing
• Grade 10 and exit level English language arts (ELA)
• Grades 5, 8, 10, and exit level science
• Grades 8, 10, and exit level social studies

TAKS-Modified (TAKS-M)

TAKS–Modified (TAKS–M) is an alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards and is designed for students receiving special education services who meet participation requirements for TAKS–M and for whom TAKS is not appropriate. TAKS–M covers the same grade-level content as TAKS, but the assessment itself has been simplified through modifications in format (larger font, fewer items per page, etc.) and test design (fewer answer choices, simpler vocabulary and sentence structure, etc.).

       The 2008 TAKS-M operational tests will include

• Grades 3–8 reading

• Grade 10 English language arts (ELA)

• Grades 3–8 and 10 mathematics

• Grades 5, 8, and 10 science

The 2008 TAKS–M field tests will include

• Grade 9 reading

• Grades 9 and 11 mathematics

• Grades 4 and 7 writing

• Grade 11 English language arts (ELA)

• Grade 11 science

• Grades 8, 10, and exit level social studies

TAKS-Alternate (TAKS-A)
TAKS–Alternate (TAKS–Alt) is an alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards and is designed for students with significant cognitive disabilities who meet the participation requirements. Unlike other statewide assessments in Texas, TAKS–Alt is not a traditional paper or multiple-choice test. Instead, the assessment involves teachers observing students as they complete teacher-designed activities that link to the grade-level TEKS curriculum. Teachers then score student performance using the TAKS–Alt rubric and submit results and evidence through an online instrument. TAKS–Alt is administered for

• Grades 3–9 reading

• Grades 3–11 mathematics

• Grades 4 and 7 writing

• Grades 10 and 11 English language arts (ELA)

• Grades 5, 8, 10, and 11 science

• Grades 8, 10, and 11 social studies

Linguistically Accommodated Testing (LAT)
Linguistically accommodated testing (LAT) is a special administration of TAKS for LEP-exempt recent immigrants. Linguistic accommodations are made in order to assist students in overcoming language barriers and to provide a meaningful assessment of academic knowledge and skills. LAT administrations of TAKS tests are available for

• Grades 3–8 reading and grade 10 English language arts (ELA)

• Grades 3–8 and 10 mathematics

• Grades 5, 8, and 10 science

The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment  System (TELPAS)
The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) is designed to assess the progress that limited English proficient (LEP) students make in learning the English language. TELPAS measures English language proficiency in the following domains:

TELPAS reading is a written assessment that measures annual growth in English language proficiency of LEP students in grades 2–12.

TELPAS reading (K-1), listening, speaking, and writing assessments enable teachers to holistically rate a LEP student’s English language proficiency based on daily interactions and observations of the student during classroom instruction. These observation protocols are administered for

• Grades K–1 reading, listening, speaking, and writing
• Grades 2–12 listening, speaking, and writing

Page last updated: 11/14/2008