TAKS Information Booklet

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TAKS Information Booklet

• Mathematics Grade 11 Exit Level Introduction

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WHAT?

• TAKS Information Booklet grade 11 Exit Level
  Mathematics
• Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)

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The Booklet Contains

• Mathematics formula sheet
• Overview of subject
• Blueprint of test (number of items)
• Clarification on how to read the TEKS
• Reasons each objective and its TEKS are critical
  to students learning
• The objectives and TEKS which are included on the
  TAKS
• Additional information about each objective that
  helps educators understand how it is assessed on
  TAKS
• sample items for each objective

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WHEN?

• Test development process took three years and
  began in 1999

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WHY?

• The TAKS test was developed to better reflect
  good instructional practice and more accurately
  measure students learning.
• The TAKS Booklet was developed to help educators,
  students, parents, and other stakeholders to
  understand more about the TAKS test.
• It is Not intended to replace the teaching of the
  TEKS curriculum.

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WHO?

• Texas Education Agency (TEA) developed the TAKS
  information booklet.
• To develop the TAKS test, input was taken from
  Texas teachers, administrators, parents, members
  of business community, professional education
  organizations, faculty and staff at Texas
  colleges and universities, and national
  content-area experts.

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The Development of the TAKS test

• Committee of Texas Educators Identified TEKS that
  should be tested on a statewide assessment.
• TEA Student Assessment and Curriculum staff
  incorporated these selected TEKS and other draft
  objectives for each subject area into an eleventh
  grade exit level survey.
• Survey sent for review in middle and secondary
  levels.
• Second draft survey (2000)
• The two central issues of these drafts
• (1) Were the objectives essential?
• (2) Will the students have received enough
  instruction to be adequately prepared?
• Finalized the TAKS objectives.

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Test Format

• Test booklet and machine-scorable answer sheet
• Students can show work in booklet
• Any item may include application context and
  extraneous information
• None of the above can be used as an answer
• Grid problems
• Use mathematics chart
• Customary and Metric ruler provided
• District must ensure that students have a
  graphing calculator for the entire test (must not
  be a typewriter-style, Computer Algebra System
  (CAS), minicomputers, digital assistance, or
  laptop)

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TEKS, TAKS, and Objectives

• TAKS objectives are organized into subsets that
  can easily be reported on.
• TAKS objectives are umbrella statements where
  TEKS expectations can be grouped. Some TEKS
  expectations may be grouped under more than one
  objective.
• Designed to be identical across grade levels.
• Some of the high school TAKS mathematics
  objectives contain student expectations from
  eighth grade.
• Educators should vertically align their
  instructional programs with increase rigor for
  each grade level.
• TEKS were developed to provide educators with
  instructional goals at each grade level.
  Although some are not tested they are still
  critical for student understanding and must be
  included in classroom discussion.

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Important Definitions

• Such as illustrations to help define
  expectations
• Including specific example must be taught.
• Rule Example will be used only if it is central
  to the knowledge, concept, or skill item assesses.

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What is going on now?

• Annually educators review and revise all proposed
  test items before field-testing.
• A second annual meeting allows educators to
  review data and items after field-testing.
• Content Validation Review - Each year panels of
  recognized experts in the field of English
  language arts (ELA), mathematics, science, and
  social studies meet in Austin to critically
  review the content of each of the high school
  level TAKS assessments to be administered that
  year. (Necessary for grades 9, 10, and 11)

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Conclusion

• TEKS instructions in mathematics throughout
  elementary, middle, and high school will build
  foundations such as thinking logically, problem
  solving, and understanding spatial relationships.
  These foundations will help the students succeed
  in advanced math and science courses later in
  their careers.
• The best preparation for TAKS is a coherent,
  TEKS-based instructional program that provides
  the level of support necessary for all students
  to reach their academic potential.