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Background

At its November 12, 1996 meeting, the TBEC Board of Directors adopted a policy goal statement entitled, Improving Statewide Student Assessment in Texas.  The statement included several recommendations to improve the state student assessment program and also suggested how assessment results could be used to improve student learning and strengthen school performance.  One of those key recommendations addressed the need to use assessment results at key checkpoints to assure that students have acquired the knowledge and skills they need to succeed at the next grade level.  In February 1998, Governor George W. Bush announced that he intended to propose state policy that would end social promotion in Texas public schools.  His intentions and proposal are entirely consistent with the purpose of the recommendations adopted by the TBEC Board in 1996.  To clarify its original recommendations in light of the Governor’s initiative, the TBEC Board of Directors adopted the following statement at its May 13, 1998 meeting.

TBEC’s Recommendation

Establish checkpoints at the end of 3rd, 5th and 8th grades to ensure that students have achieved the sufficient academic proficiency before being promoted to the next grade level.

Students must be required to demonstrate at key checkpoints that they have acquired the knowledge and skills necessary for them to succeed at the next grade level.  As proposed currently by Governor George W. Bush, TBEC recommends that students be required to:

• pass the 3rd grade TAAS reading assessment before being promoted to 4th grade,
• pass the 5th grade TAAS reading and mathematics assessments before being promoted to 6th grade, and
• Pass the 8th grade TAAS reading, mathematics, and writing assessments before being promoted to 9th grade.

Because no one is served well when students are promoted to a grade level where they have little chance for success, the three checkpoints should be implemented as soon as reasonably possible.  We are pleased that some Texas school districts have already implemented policies and programs to achieve the objectives of this policy goal statement.  TBEC encourages other school districts to implement these practices as quickly as possible on their own accord.  We believe the following schedule is both desirable and possible.

School Year	3rd Grade Cohort	5th Grade Cohort	8th grade Cohort
1999-2000	Kindergarten students	2nd grade students	5th grade students
2000-2001	1st grade students	3rd grade students	6th grade students
2001-2002	2nd grade students	4th grade students	7th grade students
2002-2003	3rd grade students	5th grade students	8th grade students

Students entering kindergarten in the school year 1999-2000 would be required to pass the third grade reading test before being promoted to 4th grade.  Students entering the 2nd grade in the school year 1999-2000 would be required to pass the 5th grade reading and math tests before being promoted to 6th grade.  Students entering 5th grade in the school year 1999-2000 would be required to pass the 8th grade reading, math and writing tests before being promoted to 9th grade. 

TBEC believes that requiring students to repeat an entire grade is both undesirable and unproductive.  To assure student progress the following policies and actions are required.

• Schools must use assessment results and other information to identify individual students who are not making satisfactory progress in reading, writing, and mathematics. 

• Schools must have the flexibility to retain the student in an acceleration program at the present grade level or  assign the student to a program that is appropriate for his or her stage of development rather than simply placing the student in the “regular” academic program at the next grade level.  Students who are within a few points of passing the assessments should usually be promoted to the next grade level with the provision that they participate in an appropriate supplemental instruction program. 

• Schools must provide appropriate support to these students -- including extended day, week or summer school programs -- so they will be able to perform up to standards at the indicated checkpoints. 

• Student participation in appropriate extended instructional programs should be considered part of the compulsory attendance requirements. 

• Students should demonstrate whether or not they have achieved grade level proficiency at the conclusion of any supplemental instructional program by retaking the TAAS assessment or some other nationally validated and equivalent assessment instrument.