Coordinator of Assessment & Accountability

KISD Testing calendar

  

A new accountability testing system called the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) is being implemented this year at Kennedale ISD campuses and will replace the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) in spring 2012.

The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) will continue to be the basis for the new test. STAAR, however, will focus on fewer skills and address those skills in a deeper, more rigorous way. In reading, for example, a greater emphasis will be given to critical analysis than to literal understanding.

For students in grades 3-8, the STAAR program will assess the same subjects and grades that have been assessed by TAKS. Elementary and intermediate students will take mathematics and reading tests at grades 3-8, writing at grades 4 and 7, science at grades 5 and 8, and social studies at grade 8.

Changes will be more noticeable at the high-school level where students who enter the ninth grade in 2011 will be required to pass 12 end-of-course (EOC) assessments to graduate. The 12 EOC assessments are Algebra I, geometry, Algebra II, biology, chemistry, physics, English I, English II, English III, world geography, world history and U.S. history.

Students repeating the ninth grade or entering the tenth, eleventh and twelfth grades in 2011 will graduate under the TAKS plan of assessment. Please see the STAAR link below for more information and resources.