That possibility seems to be getting closer.

The Texas House on Monday gave tentative approval to a bill that would replace the high-stakes, highly unpopular TAKS test with a series of end-of-year exams that could make graduation easier for high school students who excel in class but do poorly on tests.

The House bill would eliminate the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, or TAKS, in stages beginning in 2011 for grades six through 12. High school students in grades nine through 11 would be required to take standardized end-of-year exams in four core courses — English language arts, math, science and social studies.

But in a dramatic change to the state's 20-year-old testing requirements, those students, under one amendment, could conceivably graduate from high school without passing the exams — if they excel in their courses.

The exams would constitute 25 percent of a student's grade in each course. The TAKS is not part of a course grade, but students must pass it to graduate.

The bill's author, Rep. Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, was quick to dispel any suggestion that his proposal would weaken academic standards.

"We're intensifying standards," said Eissler, by encouraging teachers to focus on their subject areas and "teach to content, not teach to the test."

"Teachers can go into greater depth and rigor," he added.

I'm for the change -- after all, the test my kids currently have to pass includes absolutely no content from my course, but my teaching is evaluated based upon how they do! An end of course test will actually measure what goes on in my class.

Now I'm not sure about the amendments that are discussed in the article, but I somehow doubt that the Senate will accept them -- especially given teh requirements of NCLB.

Posted by: Greg at 10:31 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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