THEA

OVERVIEW OF TESTING

Denison ISD believes that assessment provides the necessary information to make instructional decisions to improve student performance. The testing program also provides the necessary information in helping allocate resources and for accountability to the students, parents, the community, and the mandated state and federal education authorities.

TYPES OF TESTS ADMINISTERED IN DENISON ISD

Denison ISD is committed to the use of a variety of assessment instruments to capture whether student learning is taking place.

The following tests are administered by Denison ISD:

Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) – SAT is a criterion-referenced test. These tests give a broad, general picture of student achievement, gauged by the achievement of other students across the nation. The tests are framed within classroom or real-life situations; they often elicit actual performance from a student; many of them measure strategies or processes; and they integrate process with knowledge. The SAT is administered in grades 1, 2, and 5.

Otis-Lennon School Ability Test (OLSAT) – OLSAT is a norm-referenced test that measures the cognitive abilities that relate to a student’s ability to learn and succeed in school. OLSAT assesses students’ reasoning skills and provides an understanding of a student’s relative strengths and weaknesses in performing a variety of reasoning tasks. This information allows educators to design programs that will enhance students’ strengths while supporting their learning needs. The OLSAT is administered in grades 1, 3, 5, and 7.

Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) - The TAKS test is the new state-mandated assessment. The first testing of the TAKS will take place in the Spring of 2003. This assessment is the successor of the TAAS and will be used to determine how well students have mastered the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). It will be administered to students in grades 3 through 11 (Exit Level). Tests include Math, Writing, Reading, Science, Social Studies, and English Language Arts at selected grade levels.

State Developed Alternative Assessment (SDAA) – The SDAA assesses special education students in grades 3-8 who are receiving instruction in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) but for whom TAAS is an inappropriate measure of their academic process. This test assesses the areas of reading, math and writing. Students will be assessed at their appropriate instructional levels, as determined by the admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee, rather than at their assigned grade level. The SDAA is administered on the same schedule as TAAS and is designed to measure annual growth based on appropriate expectations for each student as decided by the student’s ARD committee. The alternative assessment is designed in such a way as to bridge into TAAS and is expected to become a part of the school accountability system in the 2002-2003 school year.

Reading Proficiency Test in English (RPTE) – The RPTE were field tested in the spring of 1999 and implemented in the spring of 2000. These tests are designed to measure annual growth in the English proficiency of second language learners, and are used along with English and Spanish TAAS to provide a comprehensive assessment system for limited English proficient (LEP) students. LEP students in grades 3-12 are required to take the RPTE until they achieve a rating of advanced.

Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI) – The TPRI is a state-mandated test used for early identification of reading skill and comprehension development that provide teachers with useful information they can use to ensure that students receive the targeted attention needed. The use of the informal data gathering will support teachers in the reading instruction provided to students. The Texas Primary Reading Inventory is an early reading instrument designed to be administered in Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2. At all grade levels, the TPRI contains both a screening and an inventory section.

The TPRI is designed to supplement and facilitate teacher judgments, not replace them. The TPRI is not a placement instrument, not is it intended to replace the need for further evaluation of students who may need special student services.

ACT - The ACT Assessment, or "A-C-T" as it is commonly called, is a national college admission examination that consists of tests in English, Mathematics, Reading and Science Reasoning. ACT results are accepted by virtually all U.S. colleges and universities. The ACT consists of 215 multiple-choice questions and takes approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes to complete.

More information can be found at: http://www.act.org

SAT - Colleges, universities, and scholarship programs use your academic record, test scores, extracurriculur activities, teacher recommendations, and application essays to see how well prepared you are to do college-level work. Scores on standardized tests like the SAT I Reasoning Test and the SAT II Subject Tests enable colleges to compare the academic achievements of students from different schools.

More information can be found at: http://www.collegeboard.com

The Texas Higher Education Assessment - The THEA is an instructional program designed to ensure that students attending public institutions of higher learning in Texas and students entering educator preparation programs in Texas have the academic skills necessary to perform effectively in college-level work.

More information can be found at: http://www.thea.nesinc.com