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State of Texas Assessments
Over time, changes to state and federal statute as well as changes to the state mandated curriculum, currently the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), have required the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to make changes to the state assessment program. Whether students are served through general education, special education, or bilingual/English as a second language program, the state assessments provide a snapshot of the degree to which students are learning the TEKS.
State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR)
In 2012, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) replaced the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). The STAAR program includes five end-of-course (EOC) assessments and grade 3–8 assessments as defined below. This year, CISD students will participate in the following assessments as determined by their grade or course completion:
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Grades 3-8 Reading
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Grades 3-8 Math
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Grades 5 & 8 Science
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Grade 8 Social Studies
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Algebra I
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Biology
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English I
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English II
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U.S. History
TASB Opting Out of Standardized Tests
STAAR Opt Out FAQ
House Bill 4545
House Bill 4545 recently passed in the 87th Regular Legislative Session. The new statute is effective, as of June 16, 2021, with accelerated instruction practices required during the 2021-2022 school year for all students, based on results from Spring 2021.
HB 4545 establishes new requirements for accelerated instruction for students who do not pass the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®). At a high level, the legislation includes:
- Elimination of grade retention and retesting requirements in grades 5 and 8
- For any student who does not pass the STAAR test in grade 3, 5, or 8 in math or reading, a new LEA requirement to establish an accelerated learning committee to develop an individual educational plan for the student and monitor progress
- For any student who does not pass the STAAR test in grades 3–8 or STAAR (EOC) end-of-course assessments, clarification of prior accelerated instruction requirements, specifying that it must include either:
- Being assigned a classroom teacher who is a certified master, exemplary, or recognized teacher or
- Receiving supplemental instruction (tutoring) before or after school, or embedded in the school day
State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness Alternate 2 (STAAR Alternate 2)
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has developed the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness Alternate 2 (STAAR Alternate 2) to meet the federal requirements mandated under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), a federal education law previously known as No Child Left Behind. STAAR Alternate 2 is designed for the purpose of assessing students in grades 3–8 and high school who have significant cognitive disabilities and receive special education services.
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, listening, and speaking is an online 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 Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing - Holistically Rated
- Grades 2-12 Listening, Speaking, Reading - Online and Writing - Holistically Rated
TELPAS Alternate
TEA has developed the TELPAS Alternate assessment to meet the federal requirements mandated under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which requires states to administer an alternate English language proficiency (ELP) assessment for English learners (ELs) with the most significant cognitive disabilities who cannot participate in the general ELP assessment, even with allowable accommodations.
Castleberry ISD State Assessment Plan
Parent Resources
Texas Assessment Family Portal
TEA Student Assessment Calendar
TEA Student Assessment Website