Assessment, Compliance & Accountability, and
Teacher Certification

For information on assessment, compliance & accountability, and teacher certification, view the links below.

 

State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR™) Resources
The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR™) replaces the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), which is the criterion-referenced assessment program that has been in place since 2003. STAAR™ includes the 12 end-of-course (EOC) assessments mandated by SB 1031 in 2007 and the new grade 3–8 assessments mandated by HB 3 in 2009. 

 

Assessment
  • Lists of Approved Tests for Assessment of Limited English Proficient Students for the 2012-2013 school year.
    The List of Approved Tests for Assessment of Limited English Proficient Students, Texas Education Code (TEC), §29.056(a)(2), authorizes TEA to compile a list of approved assessments for the purposes of identifying students as limited English proficient for entry into or exit (when appropriate) from bilingual education and/or English as a second language (ESL) programs; annually assessing oral language proficiency in English and Spanish when required; and measuring reading and writing proficiency in English and Spanish for program placement. The state-approved tests placed on the list must be based on scientific research and must measure oral language proficiency in listening and speaking in English and Spanish from Prekindergarten (PK)-Grade 12. Assessments must also measure reading and writing in English and Spanish from PK-Grade 12.

  • ARD Committee Resources
    Admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee members should use the following resources to make decisions about placement in the Texas Student Assessment Program for students receiving special education services. The manual explains to ARD committees how to make assessment decisions by using the state-mandated curriculum, the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), as documented in each student's individualized education program (IEP)

  • ELPS-TELPAS Proficiency Level Descriptors

  • English Language Learners (ELL) Student Assessments
    Information on State Assessments for English Language Learners

  • English Proficiency Exit Criteria Chart
    At the end of the school year, a district may transfer (exit, reclassify, transition) a LEP student out of a bilingual education or special language program for the first time or a subsequent time if the student is able to participate equally in a regular all-English instructional program as determined by satisfactory performance in all three assessment areas below and the results of a subjective teacher evaluation.

  • Process for Considering Special Exit Criteria from Bilingual/English as a Second Language (ESL) 2011-2012 School Year Grades 1-12 Under Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §89.1225(h), districts are required to use the exit criteria represented in the chart titled 2009 - 2010 English Proficiency Exit Criteria Chart found at http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/curriculum/biling/ExitCriteriaChart.pdf to exit limited English proficient (LEP) students from bilingual/ESL programs. The exit criteria under TAC §89.1225(h) apply to the vast majority of LEP students who receive special education services. In rare cases, a LEP student receiving special education services may qualify to be exited using criteria permitted under TAC §89.1225(k), which give special consideration to a LEP student for whom assessments and/or standards under TAC §89.1225(h) are not appropriate because of the nature of a student's particular disabling condition. This document outlines the process to follow when considering whether a student qualifies to exit using the criteria authorized by TAC §89.1225(k).

  • TEA Accommodations Manual/supplementary information (LAT/TELPAS info)
    Accommodations are changes to materials or procedures that provide effective and equitable access to grade-level curriculum during instruction and testing for students with special needs, disabilities, or who are learning English. It is critical to note that although some accommodations may be appropriate for instructional use, they may not be appropriate or allowed for use on the state assessment. It is very important that educators become familiar with state policies as outlined in the Accommodations Manual regarding the use of accommodations on TAKS, TAKS (Accommodated), TAKS–Modified, TAKS–Alt, TELPAS, and LAT.


  • Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) Resources)
    The Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) is designed to assess the progress that limited English proficient (LEP) students make in learning the English language.
Compliance & Accountability
Teacher Certification

certification

In 2009-2010 Texas created an all-level certificate for bilingual teachers so that high schools who needed bilingual educators could have highly qualified bilingual teachers in high school rather than just elementary and middle school.


§ 29.061 - Bilingual Education and Special Language Program Teachers.

(a) The State Board for Educator Certification shall provide for the issuance of teaching certificates appropriate for bilingual education instruction to teachers who possess a speaking, reading, and writing ability in a language other than English in which bilingual education programs are offered and who meet the general requirements of Chapter 21. The board shall also provide for the issuance of teaching certificates appropriate for teaching English as a second language.  The board may issue emergency endorsements in bilingual education and in teaching English as a second language.

(b)  A teacher assigned to a bilingual education program must be appropriately certified for bilingual education by the board.

(c) A teacher assigned to an English as a second language program must be appropriately certified for English as a second language by the board



NEW OR UPDATED information


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