An Overview of Changes in Our Curriculum and Testing

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An Overview of Changes in Our Curriculum and
Testing

• A Presentation for Parents
• in the ___________ ISD

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Objectives

• Become familiar with the changes in the States
• Curriculum
• Testing and accountability systems (during the
  next seven years)
• Laws regarding student promotion and graduation
• Strengthen the foundation for a working
  partnership between students, parents, and school
  staff

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__________ ISD Mission
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Mission, continued
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Changes in Curriculum Texas Essential Knowledge
and Skills TEKS

• The TEKS are the state-mandated curriculum.
• The State Board of Education adopted
• the TEKS in 1997.
• Districts began using the TEKS in the
• 1998-99 school year.

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Changes in Curriculum Texas Essential Knowledge
and Skills - TEKS

• The TEKS require higher expectations from our
  students.
• The TEKS identify what Texas students should know
  and be able to do at every grade and in every
  course as they move successfully through our
  public schools.
• The TEKS are comprehensive, rigorous standards
  that describe what Texas students should know and
  be able to do at each step of their school
  careers.

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Why do we have a new, tougher curriculum?

• The state legislature mandated the higher
  standards in the TEKS
• to improve education
• to assure economic prosperity.
• Our economy has changed.
• There are fewer low-paying jobs that do not
  require much formal education.
• High-paying jobs require an even better formal
  education.
• We need more and more college graduates well
  prepared to face the new global challenges.

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Changes in Testing Texas Assessment of
Knowledge and Skills - TAKS

• The TEKS expect more from our schools, teachers,
  students, and parents.
• The TEKS are more comprehensive and more
  rigorous.
• We cannot use the TAAS test to see how we are
  doing we need a new, tougher test.
• The new test is called the TAKS.

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What else is changing?

• We already have the new curriculum based on the
  TEKS.
• We are getting ready for the new test, the TAKS,
  next year.
• We have a new law about promoting students from
  grade to grade and graduating students from high
  school.
• The State will also change the standards to rate
  campuses and districts.

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New Law Student Success Initiative

• Students must pass part(s) of the
• TAKS in order to be promoted without
• consideration by a grade placement
• committee (GPC), beginning in
• 2002-03 - 3rd graders - Reading
• 2004-05 - 5th graders - Reading Math
• 2007-08 - 8th graders - Reading Math

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What is a Grade Placement Committee?

• Students in Grade 3 will have three chances to
  take the TAKS
• March 4, April 30, and July 8, 2003
• If they still do not pass, a committee of the
  principal, teacher, and parent will decide
  whether to retain them or place them in the next
  grade.

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Testing Requirement for Graduation in 2004-05

• Students in the class of 2005 and beyond will
  have only one route to meeting the graduation
  testing requirement
• Students must pass the Grade 11 Exit
• Level TAKS in English language arts
• (including writing), mathematics, science,
• and social studies.

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Subject Areas to be Tested for Graduation in
2004-05

• As prescribed by law, the Exit Level TAKS tests
  will assess at least
• English III
• Algebra I and Geometry
• Early American and United States History
• Biology and Integrated Physics and Chemistry

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Timeline - this year
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TAKS will begin in 2002-2003 and will include

• Reading Grades 3-9
• Writing Grades 4, 7
• English language arts Grades 10, 11
• Mathematics Grades 3-11
• Science Grades 5, 10, 11
• Social studies Grades 8, 10, 11

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Changes from TAAS to TAKS
Reading Added in Grade 9 Writing Moved from
Grade 8 to 7 English language arts Added in
Grades 10 and 11 (including writing) Mathematics
Added in Grades 9 and 11 Science Added in
Grades 5, 10, and 11 deleted in Grade
8 Social studies Added in Grades 10 and 11
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Timeline - next two years
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2002-03

• TEA does not currently plan to rate campuses and
  districts for accountability purposes during the
  first year the TAKS is administered.
• The TAKS scores will be public information and,
  thus, released as usual. Parents and other
  community members, including the media, will be
  interested in how our students performed.
• Third graders who do not pass the reading part of
  the TAKS will not be promoted to fourth grade
  without consideration of a grade placement
  committee.

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Timeline
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When our schools and families work together,
students are more successful.
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What is school staff doing to prepare for the new
challenge?

• Analyze data to determine learning trends
  demonstrated by our students
• TAAS results
• End-of-Course examinations
• Early indicator reports
• Use the analysis to think about and plan for
  needed changes so all students meet the higher
  standards

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What Current Data is Helpful?
2001 End-of-Course Examinations Not as
comprehensive, nor as rigorous, as the TAKS will
be 2000-01 TAAS Data Grade 8 TAAS results
include all of the foundation areas, i.e.,
reading, mathematics, social studies, and
science. The class of 2005 will be the first to
take the TAKS to graduate. Early Indicator
Reports, from TAAS last year, comparing passing
rates at the current and higher standards. TAAS
last year was 100 TEKS-based.
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2001 AEIS Report End-of-Course
ExaminationsState Preview of 2003 Exit Level
Percent Passing
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2001 AEIS Report End-of-Course
ExaminationsDistrict Preview of 2003 Exit Level
Percent Passing
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2001 AEIS Report End-of-Course
ExaminationsCampus Preview of 2003 Exit Level
Percent Passing
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State Spring 2001 TAAS Reading Current Higher
Standard
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District Spring 2001 TAAS Reading Current
Higher Standard
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Campus Spring 2001 TAAS Reading Current
Higher Standard
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State Spring 2001 TAAS Math Current Higher
Standard
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District Spring 2001 TAAS Math Current Higher
Standard
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Campus Spring 2001 TAAS Math Current Higher
Standard
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State Spring 2001 TAAS Writing Current Higher
Standard
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District Spring 2001 TAAS Writing Current
Higher Standard
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Campus Spring 2001 TAAS Writing Current Higher
Standard
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State Grade 8 Scores of Class of 2005 for Spring
2001 TAAS Current Higher Standard
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District 8th Grade (Class of 2005) Spring 2001
TAAS Current Higher Standard
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Campus 8th Grade (Class of 2005) Spring 2001 TAAS
Current Higher Standard
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State Class of 2000 Completion Rates
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District Class of 2000 Completion Rates
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Campus Class of 2000 Completion Rates
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Reviewing Data

• We reviewed
• 2001 End-of-Course Exams
• Spring 2001 TAAS at current and higher standard
• Spring 2001 8th grade TAAS in all subjects
• 2000 completion rates
• What did we notice?

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Putting It All Together to Meet the Challenge

• Working together,
• Teachers
• Parents
• Students
• Parent Liaisons
• Weve had challenges before well overcome them
  together again!

Together, we can move mountains!
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Where can I get more information?

• Your childs teacher
• Principal
• Assistant Principals
• Counselors
• Parent Liaisons
• TEA Website www.tea.state.tx.us