Frederic67
New Member
According to the general opinion of Texas teachers, in addition to assessing individual student's achievement, the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) test can also be used to determine students' eligibility for graduation. These Texas teachers testify thatthe test given in the 10th grade is also the exit test for high school and students failing to pass the exit-level test are not eligible to receive a Texas high school diploma. Students are given several opportunities to re-take this exit exam. While three-fourths of all students taking the 10th grade TAAS test pass, the percent passing in counties across Texas ranges from only 43 to 100 percent.
Texas teachers also believe that in addition to measuring how well students are doing and whether a student can graduate from high school, TAAS results can be used to assess how well schools are performing. Schools are evaluated based on the percent of students passing the TAAS test, the dropout rate, and the attendance rate. Schools can be rated as exemplary, recognized, acceptable, and unacceptable (low performing). Unlike most other states, Texas schools' ratings are based not only on the aggregate performance of students, but also on the performance of individual groups of students - in particular, African American, Hispanic, White, and economically disadvantaged students.
The Texas teachers ensure that the schools demonstrate levels of performance for the general population of students. According to a University of Texas study of achievement in Texas schools "…disparities among groups of students are not masked by a singular focus on the school average. Attention must be given to ensuring that all groups of students achieve high levels of academic success." Used correctly, this system can to lead to the improvement of all groups of students because special efforts are made to improve each student's performance.
Texas teachers also believe that in addition to measuring how well students are doing and whether a student can graduate from high school, TAAS results can be used to assess how well schools are performing. Schools are evaluated based on the percent of students passing the TAAS test, the dropout rate, and the attendance rate. Schools can be rated as exemplary, recognized, acceptable, and unacceptable (low performing). Unlike most other states, Texas schools' ratings are based not only on the aggregate performance of students, but also on the performance of individual groups of students - in particular, African American, Hispanic, White, and economically disadvantaged students.
The Texas teachers ensure that the schools demonstrate levels of performance for the general population of students. According to a University of Texas study of achievement in Texas schools "…disparities among groups of students are not masked by a singular focus on the school average. Attention must be given to ensuring that all groups of students achieve high levels of academic success." Used correctly, this system can to lead to the improvement of all groups of students because special efforts are made to improve each student's performance.
