Texas has had its share of headaches when it comes to testing. Does anyone else remember the TECAT? That was a test that every Texas teacher had to take to keep on trucking. It was an absurd, expensive ordeal where teachers were treated like cattle because lawmakers weren't sure that they were educated enough to do their jobs. I don't remember the exact number, but I think they found a couple of teachers to flog. The part I remember most was being on crutches during this experience and finding myself exhausted before even sitting down to take the test. I had to climb stairs to get to my testing location. No special arrangements were made for me. Maybe I was invisible at the time. Did I mention the money Texas spent on this test? The whole thing was laughable.
In January 1986, the Texas State Board of Education established performance standards for the Texas Examination of Current Administrators and Teachers (TECAT), an examination resulting from the passage in 1984 of Texas House Bill 72. This Bill called for Texas public school educators to pass a test in reading and writing as a condition of continued certification.
That was back in the mid eighties, folks, and we've never heard about it again. The TAKS might be going the way of the TECAT for high school kids. Get out the party hats and let's celebrate. Lawmakers think that the current TAKS might be encouraging teachers to teach to the test. They are also concerned that the four TAKS tests given in math, reading, science, and social studies aren't testing students over what they are really learning in class. This is new news. After spending bookoos of money, time, toil, and tears over this test, let's just throw it out.
The measures would eliminate the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills graduation test – which has been in use only three years – as well as two other TAKS tests administered in the ninth and 10th grades.
In all, 12 tests would be taken throughout high school – three each in English, math, science and social studies. The legislation also calls for lesser changes to tests for elementary and middle school students.
Under the new plan, students would be required to earn a cumulative passing score of at least 840 points to get a diploma. That is the equivalent of a 70 on each exam – though students could fail some tests and still graduate if they did well enough on others to reach 840.
Here's the kicker. We're looking at $35 million for the development of the new tests! Can you imagine what could be accomplished with this kind of money?
The TAKS tests have not been popular with teachers, parents, and students. The tests become the curriculum, and many students do not value them. I think that if they are going to start a fresh approach to testing in high school, why not do so in elementary and middle school as well? How can they expect students and teachers to feel comfortable with a measuring tool that becomes extinct in high school? Many students already think the TAKS test is a joke.
Back in the old days, final exams were made by teachers and feared by most. They were usually tough and counted as part of a final grade. For $35 million, students across Texas will be able to take the same exams. Hopefully, the tests will be used longer than three years.