Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessment, TAMSA, is a statewide, grassroots organization comprised of parents and other community members concerned with the overemphasis on high stakes STAAR tests and the misallocation of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to the tests that should be going to the classroom. Our mission is to improve public education in Texas through the use of meaningful and effective student assessments that allow for more productive classroom instruction and more efficient use of public funds. This presentation provides a general overview.

1. Texans Advocating for
Meaningful Student Assessment
(TAMSA)
Implementation of HB5 and Further Progress
1

2. TAMSA Overview
Evolution of Texas Student Assessments
HB5 Overview
TAMSA Advocacy Objectives
How You Can Help
2

3. Who Is TAMSA?
A statewide, grassroots organization comprised of
concerned parents and other community members
3

4. Mission
Improve public education in Texas through the use
of meaningful and effective student assessments,
allowing:
 more productive classroom instruction
 more efficient use of public funds
4

5. Statewide Membership
Texas Education Service Centers:
1. Edinburg
2. Corpus Christi
3. Victoria
4. Houston
5. Beaumont
6. Huntsville
7. Kilgore
8. Mount Pleasant
9. Wichita Falls
10. Richardson (Dallas)
11. Fort Worth
12. Waco
13. Austin
14. Abilene
15. San Angelo
16. Amarillo
17. Lubbock
18. Midland
19. El Paso
20. San Antonio
*Pins represent districts, organized by ESCs, with TAMSA members signed up on our website as of 3/18/13
5

6. TAMSA’s Motivation
• Support accountability, with high expectations for
our children and our schools.
• Appalled by the negative impact of increased overtesting on classroom instruction and our students.
• Collaborated with many others during the 2013
legislative session to pass legislation reforming
standardized tests (HB5).
6

7. TAMSA Overview
Evolution of Texas Student Assessments
HB5 Overview
TAMSA Advocacy Objectives
How You Can Help
7

8. Texas Student Assessment Programs
Year Began
Name
# High Stakes*
1979
TABS
X
1984
TEAMS
X
1989
TAAS
X
2003
TAKS
X
2012
STAAR/EOC
22
“High Stakes” tests must be passed to either
advance to the next grade level or graduate.
8

9. Return on Investment of Testing
Parents, employers, & taxpayers ask:
1. How much are we spending on these tests?
2. What is the purpose of these tests?
3. Do these tests help prepare students for
college or careers?
9

10. Texas Tax Dollars Paid to Pearson
2000 – 2001
$39,122,054
2005 – 2006
$87,427,757
2010 – 2011
$90,665,041
2001 – 2002
$50,208,435
2006 – 2007
$100,214,658
2011 – 2012
$89,058,910
2002 – 2003
$47,451,455
2007 – 2008
$87,260,970
2012 – 2013
$93,369,544
2003 – 2004
$58,692,430
2008 – 2009
$92,103,116
2013 – 2014
$96,532,517
2004 – 2005
$62,641,857
2009 – 2010
$85,208,340
2014 – 2015
$98,766,605
TOTAL 2000 – 2015
$1,178,723,689
10

11. Lost Opportunity
11

12. TAKS% Passing: Sum of All Grades
2003 - 2011
Mathematics
Reading
Writing
Science
Social Studies
100
95
90
85
80
75
70
65
60
55
*2009 – 2011 include TAKS-Acc
50
45
40
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009*
2010*
2011*
12

13. Texas Mean SAT Scores
2003 - 2010
African Am.
Hispanic
White
Asian
1200
1150
(Maximum Score 1600)
1100
1050
1000
950
900
850
800
750
700
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
13

14. College Persistence
Success in Higher Education Overall
*Source: National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) report “A New Measure of Educational Success in
Texas: Tracking the Success of 8th Graders Into and Through College” Feb. 2012
14

15. College Persistence
Success in Higher Education by Ethnicity
*Source: National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) report “A New Measure of Educational Success in
Texas: Tracking the Success of 8th Graders Into and Through College” Feb. 2012
15

16. Is It Worth It?
1. Taxpayer Expense: $1.2 Billion (minimum)
2. College and Career Ready: No measurable
improvement
3. Success in Higher Education: Below
national levels
4. Dropout Forecast: Troubling
16

17. TAMSA Overview
Evolution of Texas Student Assessments
HB5 Overview
TAMSA Advocacy Objectives
How You Can Help
17

18. High School STAAR Testing Before HB5
2012-2013 State of Texas Assessments of Academic
Readiness (STAAR®) program included:
• Count EOC scores as 15% of course grades
• Pass 15 End-of-Course (EOC) exams to graduate
• Achieve a cumulative score on three tests by subject
matter to graduate
• To qualify for admission to a Texas 4-year college,
achieve a designated score on English III and Algebra II
18

19. High School STAAR Testing Before HB5
15 tests in all 4 core subjects
English
Math
Science
History
English I (R&W)*
Algebra I
Biology
World
Geography
English II (R&W)*
Geometry
Chemistry
World History
English III
(R&W)*
Algebra II
Physics
U.S. History
* Reading & Writing: 2 separate exams, 4 hours each, minimum of 2 essays
19

20. State High-Stakes Exam Comparison
15 state-mandated, high-stakes tests required to
graduate from Texas high-schools far outnumbered
any other state’s requirements1
Number of States
25
0
7
10
2
4
Number of Tests
Required to Pass for
Graduation
0
1
2
3
4
5
1
TEXAS
6 - 9 11 - 15*
*Depending on Graduation Plan
1
Data from Center of Education Policy: “State High School Exit Exams: A Policy in Transition” 9/12
20

21. What Changed in 2013?
• House Bill 5 (HB 5) passed unanimously
in both the House and Senate
• HB 5 limited the number of STAAR EOCs
in high school and reformed graduation
plans
21

22. HB5 decreases STAAR EOCs
5 STAAR EOCs for high school graduation (beginning
2013-14 school year):
• English I (reading and writing combined)
• English II (reading and writing combined)
• Algebra I
• Biology
• US History
In the 2015-16 school year, English III and Algebra II
EOCs can be administered at the district’s option.
22

23. Texas vs. Federal High School Testing
TEXAS 5 STAAR EOCs
FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS
Must Pass to Graduate
NOT High-Stakes
•
•
•
•
•
English I
English II
Algebra I
Biology
US History
• Reading
• Math
• Science
23

24. HB5 Limits Benchmark Tests
“Benchmark tests” are district-required
assessments designed to prepare students
for state-mandated (STAAR) tests.
HB5 permits ONLY TWO (2) per year per
subject tested.
If you have any concerns about benchmarks in
your child's school, check with your principal and
school district board of trustees.
24

25. Testing for Grades 3-8 Did Not Change
The same grades and subjects are tested with TAKS and
STAAR, but STAAR exams are timed and more rigorous.
Grade
Math
Reading
3
X
X
4
X
X
5
X
X
6
X
X
7
X
X
8
X
X
Writing
Science
S. Studies
X
X
X
X
X
Federal requirements dictate 14 tests; Texas administers 17.
25

26. TAMSA Overview
Evolution of Texas Student Assessments
HB5 Overview
TAMSA Advocacy Objectives
How You Can Help
26

27. Advocacy Objectives
1. Use state-required standardized testing for
diagnostic purposes only
2. Support the implementation of HB5
3. Ensure the appropriate use of standardized
testing for special education, disabled, and
English Language Learner (ELL) students
4. Limit state-mandated testing in grades 3-8
5. Promote no additional state-designed tests in
high school
27

28. Diagnostic Testing Only
• Eliminate all Texas mandated high-stakes testing
• Ensure state-required exams are diagnostic, not
punitive
BENEFIT
Identify areas where
students need
additional support
28

29. Support HB5 Implementation
• Continue to work with TEA (responsible for
implementing HB5), educators, and legislators
• Ensure proper and
timely implementation
of HB5, including
clarification of testing
issues and oversight of
EOC exams
BENEFIT
Keep the pressure on
policymakers to
prevent backsliding
29

30. Appropriate Use of Testing
• Ensure appropriate use of standardized testing for
special education students, including parental
awareness and participation in the ARD process
• Support use of modified
tests for disabled students
despite federal directive to
transition away
• Support reasonable phasein for English Language
Learner (ELL) students
BENEFIT
Raise awareness and
prevent students from
being disproportionally
harmed by inappropriate
state-required
standardized tests
30

31. Limit STAAR Testing in Grades 3-8
• Eliminate high-stakes tests in grades 5 and 8;
Research shows grade retention does not improve
student performance.
• Promote limiting the
number tests in grades
3-8, at least to what is
required by federal law
BENEFIT
Change the culture of
over-testing as early
as possible
31

32. No Additional Required EOCs
HB5 allows optional Algebra II and English III EOCs at
the district’s discretion, starting in 2015-16.
TAMSA opposes optional
tests and advocates
districts use a national
norm-referenced test
instead.
BENEFIT
Minimize state-designed
standardized tests in high
school, when SAT and
ACT are more relevant
32

33. National Norm-Referenced Tests
TAMSA believes national norm-referenced tests
provide better student assessment than expensive
state-designed STAAR exams:
• Proven and cannot be taught
• Passing rates are not manipulated
• Nationally recognized
EXAMPLE National Norm-Referenced Tests:
Gr. 3 – 7
Iowa Test of Basic
Skills (ITBS)
Gr. 8
EXPLORE
Gr. 10
PLAN
Gr. 11
ACT
PSAT
33

34. TAMSA Overview
Evolution of Texas Student Assessments
HB5 Overview
TAMSA Advocacy Objectives
How You Can Help
34

35. What TAMSA’s Done
• Met with legislators, parents, teachers,
community groups and businesses
• Worked with education and testing experts
at UT Austin
• Participated in TV and newspaper interviews and wrote
Op-Eds and Counter Op-Eds
• Testified in hearings before the House, Senate and
State Board of Education
• Communicates formally with TEA regarding STAAR
implementation and testing issues
• Updates members via e-mail, Facebook posts, Twitter
35

36. What TAMSA Members Did
• Joined TAMSA, liked us on Facebook,
followed us on Twitter
• Acted when we sent them instructions
• Wrote, emailed and phoned Legislators and the
Governor tirelessly requesting support for HB5
• Participated via social media in the debate about
testing in Texas schools
• Met with Legislators in their districts
• Testified in Austin
36

37. Continue Progress, Continue Action
• Because of committed and passionate parents &
voters, our voices were heard in Austin.
• HB5 passed in both House and Senate chambers
unanimously and limited the number of statedesigned tests in high school.
• Progress will not go unchallenged; some are highly
motivated to increase the number of STAAR tests.
• Vigilance and continued involvement is essential.
37

38. Next Steps
• Continue to work with TEA on proper and timely
implementation of HB5
• Retain a strong parent voice through developing
relationships with legislators and policymakers
• Identify legislative issues for next session that will
continue progress towards meaningful student
assessments.
38

39. Please Join Us
Sign up for updates on our website:
www.tamsatx.org
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
www.facebook.com/tamsatx
www.twitter.com/tamsatx
Email: BoardMember@tamsatx.org
39

40. “I believe in standardizing
automobiles,
not human beings.”
Albert Einstein
40