Rebecca, the alternate tests that you mention are in a state of transition this year. Previously, special ed children took a test known as SDAA. But the government has passed laws that heal all disabilities and allow special ed children to take the TAKS test on grade level. This is because all children are capable of performing at the same grade level at the same time, regardless of their disabilities. The new tests for special ed students are TAKS-A and TAKS-M. These versions are in larger print and do not contain the extra dozen "field test" questions that are not scored each year. I do not know much more about them.

Are TAKS scores REALLY a valid measure of a district's success?  You know that not all children have to take this test (because they won't do well) and some are given alternative types of tests and not all of those tests that are taken are actually averaged in to the total that we use to judge "success."  (There's a certain percentage that a school can leave out.)  Does someone know the details?  So what does that total really tell us?  Of the test scores we actually averaged.....  Remember the school that got busted for only turning in it's best scores?

Why can't, "I know my child is learning because he brings home a report card, shows us his work, or shares with us what he is learning during dinner" be an indicator of a child's success?  That's how we did it when I was in school.  Come to think of it, I do remember taking a CAT test at some point.  "A BALOOGA IS A BEAR...."  !!

How should the state measure a districts success across the state ?

      

There's a difference between children and adults when it comes to education, learning, and testing.  I'm not saying that all tests are bad at every point in a person's education or career.  I'm saying that there is such a thing as depending too heavily on tests and test scores.  Focusing on teaching children "short answers for a short answer test" is not producing intelligent problem solvers or thinkers... 

I remember taking these tests when I was in school, I don't understand all the uproar ?

It's a standardize test, I blew through them, they're a joke to any above average student. I was upset that I never aced the math section.


When I graduated from college, my sr year, we had a comprehensive final exam. It was composed of questions from every required engineering class, then your specific field. It was pretty damn hard and you had to pass to complete your degree. The moral of the story, get used to tests, if you start complaining about them in grade school, you're only setting up yourself for future heart ache. Parents should encourage their kids to have a positive attitude from early on, it'll pay off later on in life.

Seriously, the TAKS should be a breeze for most students.  Go in there, knock it out and move on.

Are private school teachers less accountable because they don't have to worry about that TAKS?  Are private school students being left behind (OMG wasn't that a book series - we don't want to be left behind, do we?  LOL) because they don't have to worry about the TAKS?  I think they are better for it.  Public school teachers and children should be allowed to opt out of TAKS.  It should be a teacher's choice as to how students are assessed....  "I want my child to be "left behind." You guys go on ahead we will stay back here and read some books together and go on some field trips... ."

I totally agree with you.  Did I ever tell you that when my son tried out public school for the first time they gave him a TAKS test going in to see if he could test out of the grade I claimed he had completed?  No TAKS prep and an academically relaxed home.  He did so well they wanted to give him the test  for the next year.  By the end of his first school year my great test taker was going to TAKS tutorials, missing his favorite class,  and told that he would fail if he didn't do well on this TAKS.  He came home scared - I said, "This is the same test that you have already aced." He developed a test anxiety during the one year he went to public school.  I didn't want him to have test anxiety before he took a test like the SAT!!!  The next test that he took was his PSAT and I wonder how well he would have done WITHOUT the test anxiety.  I thought, "I gave you guys a confident test taker and you gave me back a child who was scared and nervous during tests." It wasn't any teacher's or school's fault, of course.  Our public school experience was wonderful and my only gripe is that small change that happened in my child's mind.....  He went from being a confident test taker to being scared of tests.  Nervousness and anxiety work against learning and memory.

No, my 8th graders already took the math test, which all the other grades take Tuesday.

Me and my kids are being "relocated" to a classroom for 3 hours that has no TV  :(

I should have planned a math field trip or something. We are going to get BORED after an hour or two lol

At least we will have some testing to do later in the week though :P

So, Richard, do you have classes that take the test from hell?

So I guess that is what they blame the current dropout rate on!  All they teach is taks, not reading writing and math like when we were in school

If they can't pass the TAKS, then they surely will not be increasing passing rates on the SAT. That is if they even take the SAT.

(update) I could go on forever about how bad NCLB and testing is for Texas children. But don't take my word for it, listen to what others have to say.

NCLB Sucks (warning- F-bomb dropped near the end)

 video.google.com/videoplay

"One" Child Left Behind (apparently the law has been revised)

www.youtube.com/watch

 NCLB: Truth and Consequences (a documentary)

www.youtube.com/watch

No Child Left Behind (Was this meant to be funny? I'm NOT laughing)

www.youtube.com/watch

No Child Left Behind? (hey, this is NOT funny either - I drive a bus!)

www.youtube.com/watch

 No Child Left Behind (comments from a concerned teacher)

www.youtube.com/watch

No Child Left Behind (just because no list would be complete without a good music video)

www.youtube.com/watch

A Loud Revolution (Yeah right, with the sheeple I'm around?) 

 www.youtube.com/watch

 Don't Leave Us Behind (okay HE gets it - why is this so hard to understand?)

www.youtube.com/watch

 NCLB - Testing- According to "Daniel" (I wonder how many other kids feel this way?)

www.youtube.com/watch

High Stakes Testing (I think I've seen this somewhere before...lol)

www.youtube.com/watch

When Assessment Goes Wrong (If you only watch ONE video this it is)

www.youtube.com/watch

Sec. of Education has only worked as a substitute teacher LOL

video.google.com/videoplay