TAKS

The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) is a primary education standardized test used in Texas to assess student attainment of math, english, science, reading, and social science skills required under Texas education standards. It is developed and graded by a test-making company named Pearson. Though created before the No Child Left Behind Act was passed, it complies with the law. It replaced the previous test called the TAAS in 1999.

Administration

The test is administered from 3rd grade through 11th grade. Students in the 11th grade must pass the test to graduate, but have many oppurtunities to retake the test if they fail. The student must only retake portions which they failed, not the entire test. The passing rate is rather low, at about 55% for each section of the exam. Beginning in 1999, 3rd grade students also had to pass the test to advance to the next grade level. The next year, both 3rd and 4th grade students were required to pass the test. The pattern will continue until all grades are required to pass the test, culminating with the 2006 administration.

Sections

The sections a student is required to take are not the same each year. For instance, a student is not require to write an essay each year. However, math and a reading/writing section are always part of the exam. The test is untimed, and the test is administered in one section per day increments. Sections including essay or short answer portions are taken in February to allow extra time for grading. Students in the 11th grade must pass section each of Math, English Language Arts (or ELA, a combination of reading/writing), Science, and Social Studies. In fact, from grades 9 to 11, students follow the same regimen, except that no essay is required in 9th grade.

Scoring