The TAAS, or Texas Assessment of Academic Skills, was the third standardized test used in Texas between 1991 and 2002, when it was replaced by the TAKS test from 2003 to 2013.[1] It was used from grades 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. Passing the Grade 11 level was required for graduation, but many opportunities for retesting were available. The implementation of the TAAS was the first time a state-mandated exam was required to be passed for graduation. There were many alternative routes available for students unable to pass the TAAS.
The TAAS tested 3 areas of proficiency: reading, writing, and math. The math and reading sections consisted of multiple-choice, while the writing section consisted of a series of prompts for which essays had to be written.
In 2002, researchers Jere Confrey and David Carrejo presented a paper that criticized the TAAS. They found that the "data provided to teachers for instructional decision-making" did not always reconcile with "published test structure".[2]: 549–550
See also
edit- Texas Assessment of Basic Skills - the first standardized test used by Texas from 1980 until 1983.
- Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills - the second standardized test used by Texas from 1984 until 1990.
- Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills - the fourth standardized test used by Texas from 2003 until 2011.
- State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness - the fifth and current standardized test used by Texas since 2011.
References
edit- ^ "Chapter 1. Historical Overview of Assessment in Texas" (PDF). Technical Digest 2020–2021. 2021. Archived from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
{{cite book}}:|website=ignored (help) - ^ Confrey, Jere; Carrejo, David (26 October 2002). "A Content Analysis of Exit Level Mathematics on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills: Addressing the Issue of Instructional Decision-Making in Texas". Written at Athens, GA. In Mewborn, Denise S.; Sztain, Paola; White, Dorothy Y.; Wiegel, Heide G.; Bryant, Royn L.; Nooney, Kevin (eds.). Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (PDF) (Collected Works). Vol. 2: Research Reports, Short Oral Reports, Poster Presentations. Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education. pp. 539–550. ISBN 978-0881190021. OCLC 936451045. ERIC ED471747. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2022. pp. 549–550:
Our research was focused on examining whether the data provided to teachers for instructional decision-making were valid for this purpose. We worked to extend the analysis of the data in relation to the published test structure, and found that there were a number of problems in reconciling the results.
Further reading
edit- Ott, Adrian (Spring 2010). "A Timeline of Test in Texas". A History of High Stakes Testing in Texas. University of North Texas. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
