What is TAKS - ???
mckayleesmom wrote: Can someone explain it to me.....I saw Bac'smom some others talking about it..It has peeked my curiosity.
holley79 replied:
 know I want to know also.
BAC'sMom replied: Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)
punkeemunkee'smom replied: TAKS is the assesment test down here that they 'grade' teachers/schools on based on the preformance of their classes. There is alot of hype surrounding it and it has been reported rather widely that some schools provide answers to bump their scores and teachers do it to 'bump' their salaries....
holley79 replied: Oh ok.
BAC'sMom replied: Aug. 8, 2006, 5:25PM
Texas teachers call for overhaul of TAKS test
By JULIA GLICK
Associated Press
DALLAS — One of Texas' largest teachers unions today called for an overhaul of standardized testing, saying the state's emphasis on scores is "destructive" and takes away from students learning critical thinking and other essential skills.
"We are not turning out well-rounded students that can compete," said Linda Bridges, president of the 52,000-member Texas Federation of Teachers. "Teachers are saying enough is enough and it is really time to bring back sanity to all of this."
The federation says it wants the state legislature to take action to curb schools' constant drilling for the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills or TAKS test. Teachers spend more than half their classroom time teaching test-taking strategies, repetitive exercises and practice exams instead of the curriculum, Bridges said.
The union's announcement in Dallas comes at a time when the TAKS test is carrying increasing weight for schools. Students take the TAKS every year and cannot graduate or advance certain grades unless they pass. Schools face sanctions ranging from staff changes to closure if too many students fail for four years in a row.
This year, Texas raised the bar for schools from 50 percent of students having to pass the liberal arts portions of the TAKS to 60 percent. The passing rate for math went from 35 percent to 40 and science rose from 25 to 35 percent of students having to pass.
Gov. Rick Perry also spearheaded the creation last year of teacher pay bonuses tied in part to school TAKS scores.
Perry spokesman Robert Black said TAKS testing measures how well children are learning the state's curriculum and holds schools responsible for student performance.
"The governor is all for suggestions on how we can make our schools better and help our children learn better, but removing accountability and lowering standards he does not believe is the way to get there," Black said.
Debbie Ratcliffe, spokeswoman for the Texas Education Agency, said the tests dovetail with the state curriculum and if teachers just teach the curriculum, their students will pass.
She said the teachers have many legitimate concerns, but many cannot be addressed with state legislation. Principals and superintendents determine largely how their schools prepare for the TAKS, so the union should look for most changes on a local level, she said.
The federation says it wants to start a dialogue among parents, teachers and administrators leading up to the winter session, when the state legislature is set to appoint a commission to look at standardized testing.
The union is pushing for the state legislature to institute school evaluation methods that account for poverty, high mobility and other factors that affect the learning environment in low-performing schools.
It also seeks legislative support for giving individual teachers more control over how students prepare for tests. Bridges said some schools mandate that students take time-consuming weekly practice tests.
"A lot of districts have eliminated field trips and outside speakers coming in, because they are too busy with drilling practice," Bridges said.
Aimee Bolender, president of the Dallas local, Alliance/AFT, said she is worried about students learning largely in repetitive multiple choice at the expense of higher critical thinking.
"The problem is if questions in real life are not presented the way they are on the TAKS test, children may not have the experience and skills to answer them," Bolender said.
punkeemunkee'smom replied: What is TAKS?
This may help if you are that interested  
C&K*s Mommie replied: Interesting.
So TAKS is what we know as the FCAT here in Florida. It has come under alot of scrutiny too, among other things.
BAC'sMom replied: And in our district after the students “pass” the TAKS tests all the teachers relax they don’t send any homework anymore heck some of them don’t even show up to work. If the students pass the get they’re funding, bonus, and pay raises. But if the kids don’t pass they make them stay after schools, go to school early, keep them out of electives etc. The teachers “beat it” into there heads and let me tell you the kids stress out BAD!
Florida and Texas hump what do they have in common? No child left behind my A$$!
Hillbilly Housewife replied: My only comments are these 2.
1) No child left behind is more like - No child can keep going ahead without the whole team... and
2) Isn't Bush from Texas? 
luvmykids replied: Let me get this straight, if a school doesn't pass, they get less funding? Sounds a little counter productive to me 
punkeemunkee'smom replied:
So does Canada not have any assesment tests?
BAC'sMom replied:
And also in certain grades (5th grade for one) if a child doesn’t pass the TAKS test they do not move on to the next grade. Even if they are “A” students
Hillbilly Housewife replied:
Yes, of course... but not of the same degree....we have school boards who divvy up the funds based on taxes paid in different school zones etc... so schools get funding based on the need of that particular school. A school with 350 students is obviously going to get less money than a school with 1000 students, even if the zones of the school that has the lesser students might pay more because it's an upscale neighbourhood or whatever...it's not based on how smart and/or how stupid the kids are.
punkeemunkee'smom replied:
That is how I think it should be here to...If you have a highrate of tax payers (which here means homeowners) then you should by all rights have a well funded school. Since I pay $500 in school taxes a year I want my $500 to go to the district I am paying taxes in,the one my child would attend, not the one 65 miles away-kwim? I think if you are going to make taxes different by district then the schools should get to keep the revenue and the other schools should get funded through other programs...I also feel like there should be some kind of small tax on everyone who uses the school system. The burden should not have to be absorbed soley by people who own homes and may not even use the school in the first place...JMO The practice of making schools gain funding based on arbitary test results is ignorant! It has already been shown over and over that when funding is in danger the schools will stoop to whatever means necessary to keep it in their til! 
luvmykids replied:
THAT is ridiculous. I understand having standards required to pass to the next grade but I would have assumed an A student met those standards ....
BAC'sMom replied:
It doesn’t matter Monica! You can have ALL A'S all year long if you choke on the test you fail that grade.
Stepping up on soapbox.....
I know this because this is what I had to deal with this past year with DS #1. He didn’t pass his Math part of TAKS test so he had to go in early, sit out electives and stay after school for tutoring in order to pass. Now as most of you know this is the same child that I FEEL has a learning disability when it comes to Math. The same child that I have begged and pleaded the school to “TEST” him for 4 years. Not “SCREEN” but test! Which is my right as a tax payer and by all the rules under TEA. The same child that when they did “screen” him this last year, they (the school) told him “Brandeis the reason why you are here is because your Mom thinks there is something wrong with you". His words not mine! Now that is a confidence builder wouldn't you say? 
Now the school can’t give my son the proper testing for a LD but they can continue to keep him before, during and after school to pass their test for funding. (?) Now there is something wrong with that. This is what I am looking forward to this year if he doesn’t pass the TAKS test he will fail 5th grade! Even though I have asked to test him so they can make modifications. The school certainly is not paying for the counseling that I have had to put son in because he has NO self esteem, low or no confidence and feels like he is stupid!
Stepping down off soapbox....
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