- adopted November 12, 1996

The Texas Business and Education Coalition (TBEC) believes that an effective statewide student assessment program is the only reliable vehicle through which to achieve desired levels of public school performance.  The new Texas Education Code adopted in 1995 gives control of educational process to local school districts.  In this decentralized system, the state must hold educators accountable for developing and implementing instructional programs through which their students learn the knowledge and skills described in state standards.  The public demands that “state educational standards” reflect requirements for success in the real world after high school.

TBEC understands that test scores alone do not tell the entire story about school performance, nor do they provide all the information needed to make educational decisions.  However, the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) results provide a common and factual statewide starting point for informed discussions about school performance and improvement.

TBEC’s Recommendations

TBEC believes that the TAAS is a high quality assessment program that has proven effective in driving statewide school improvement.  Three different sets of tests have been developed and administered in Texas public schools since 1984 although the curriculum has not changed.  Changing the tests has created the unfortunate and erroneous impression that state standards for student learning also changed.  A stable mechanism for evaluating student learning results is essential for long-term accountability and performance management purposes.  The state should strengthen, but not fundamentally change, the current statewide assessment program.

1.  Assess reading progress at primary grade (K-2) levels.

To ensure that all Texas students acquire necessary reading skills by the third grade, Texas school districts should measure the reading proficiency of all students in kindergarten through second grade, using existing instruments that are valid, reliable and objective, and that are aligned with the Essential Knowledge and Skills and the third grade TAAS reading test.  (Note:  The Texas Education Agency has completed development of reading inventories for students at the kindergarten, first and second grade levels.  These instruments are available now for use in understanding student reading development, but may not provide the information needed to evaluate instructional program effectiveness.)

Texas school districts must report the results of those assessments to their community in a timely manner, but at least annually, so that

• teachers and principals will design instruction to improve students’ reading skills;
• parents will be actively involved with the progress of their children and support programs for reading success; and
• stakeholders can evaluate the effectiveness of school reading programs.

TBEC also recommends that the Commissioner of Education monitor the implementation of these recommendations by all Texas school districts.

2.  Assess science and social studies achievement in the 5th grade.

The Texas Education Code requires all public schools to provide a well-rounded curriculum, but provides that the state test students only in the core subjects of English-language arts, mathematics, science and social studies.  The current assessment program fails to provide feedback about school performance and student learning in science and social studies at the elementary school level.

3.  Establish audit points at the end of 5th and 8th grades for ensuring successful student advancement through the school system.

Each campus must be expected to prepare its students for success in their next experience.  The obligation of the elementary school is to prepare students to participate successfully in a middle school level instructional program.  The obligation of the middle school is to prepare students to participate successfully in a high school level instructional program.  The obligation of the high school is to prepare students for the workplace and appropriate post-secondary educational or training programs of their choice.  No one is well served when students are passed on to an experience for which they are ill-prepared and where they have little chance for success.

Assessment results should be used to monitor each student’s progress.  The school must provide continuous support -- extended day, week or year instructional programs or other strategies -- that will keep every student on grade level in reading, mathematics and writing.  Should a student have significant deficiencies at an audit point -- the end of 5th or 8th grade, the school district must have the option to retain the student in an acceleration program at the present campus or place the student in a program at the next campus that is appropriate for his or her stage of development rather than placing the student in the “regular” academic program.

4.  Establish a high school level assessment program that evaluates achievement as it relates to standards for success in the real world.

A Texas high school diploma must mean that a graduate has acquired the knowledge and skills necessary for success after high school.  The current exit-level TAAS is not appropriate as a graduation standard and must be replaced.  TBEC recommends establishing a new and more meaningful graduation requirement representing high academic and current workplace standards.  These assessments should be administered to students for the first time at the end of 11th grade and measure achievement in reading for information, mathematical applications, writing,and other subjects as determined by the Commissioner of Education.  This new and more credible graduation standard should be adopted immediately and applied no later than for the graduating class of 2001.  This schedule would give educators ample opportunity to make appropriate program adjustments.

Consequences for the Texas Public School System and the State

These recommendations are aimed at transforming the Texas public school system into a dynamic, universally high performing institution that meets standards existing in the workplace and the real world.  Public education is serious business.  The stakes are high for individual students, every community, and the entire state.  If Texans expect public schools to prepare all students for success after high school, they must not only accept, but demand, a no-nonsense approach such as that envisioned here to improving school performance toward that goal.