texans advocating for meaningful student assessment (tamsa)

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Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessment (TAMSA)

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TAMSA Mission

History of Testing in Texas

Changes We Are Advocating For

Legislation Filed To-Date

Our Continued Efforts

Agenda

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Mission Statement

TAMSA is working 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.

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Who We Are

A statewide, grassroots organization comprised of concerned parents and other community

members

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Our Concern

TAMSA parents strongly support accountability as we have high expectations for our children and their schools. However, we are appalled by the negative impact the

new testing system is having in the classroom and with our students.

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TAMSA Mission




Our Continued Efforts

Agenda

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HighStakes

1979 1984 1989 2001 2003 2004 2005 2006 2011 2012

Increasing Public Accountability

New State Accountability

System

AYP

TABS TEAMS TAASTAKS

SDAA

LATSDAA II

TELPASDyslexiaTAKS-I

TAKS-AMAlt

STAAR/EOC

RIGOR

Texas Student Assessment Programs

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After decades of non-stop testing, parents, employers, & tax-payers are asking…

1. How much money has this cost us?2. Are our students better prepared for college

and careers?3. Are our students more successful in completing

college or obtaining technical certificates?

Return on Investment?

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Texas Tax Dollars Paid to Pearson

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

TOTAL 2000 – 2015$1,178,723,689

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Other Needs for Testing Money

The money spent on Pearson could be put to better use:• That's $2 spent EVERY SECOND of every day

for the last 15 years. Most districts spend under $2 for lunch for hungry students.

• That’s also $50,400 every 7 hours. That would be 3 teachers per day or 1277 teachers per year every year.

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Quality Control Issues

Serious issues exist with Pearson on graduation-required tests, including:• Computer glitches – Texas, Dec. 3, 2012• Inaccurate grading – Mississippi, Oct. 23, 2012• Nonsensical questions – New York, April 19,

2012 (also given previously in other cities, including Houston)

DENIED

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$12/hour

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Texas TAKS % Passing: Sum of All Grades Testing 2003 - 2011

404550556065707580859095

100

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009* 2010* 2011*

Mathematics Reading Writing Science Social Studies

*2009 – 2011 include TAKS-Acc

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Texas Mean SAT Scores 2003-2010(M

axim

um S

core

160

0)

700

750

800

850

900

950

1000

1050

1100

1150

1200

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

African Am. Hispanic White Asian

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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

College Persistence

% Completion of 2 yr. Degrees, 4 yr. Degrees...0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

21.9%

29.3% Texas Nation

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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

% Completion of 2 yr. Degrees, 4 yr. Degrees or College-...0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

14.1%

41.3%

11.4% 11.6%

27.6%

Native AmericanAsianBlackHispanicWhite

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Effect on the Dropout Rate

Date % FAILED Date % FAILED

Spring 2012 32% Spring 2012 45%

Summer 2012 Retest

62% Summer 2012 Retest

76%

2012 Statewide English I EOC ResultsEnglish I Reading English I Writing

These TX students are starting 10th grade already behind. There is little chance that they can catch up and keep up.

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Has It Been Worth It?

1. Taxpayer Expense: $Billion+2. College and Career Ready: No measurable

improvement3. Successful in Higher Education: Below

average4. Dropout Forecast: Troubling

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TAMSA Mission




Our Continuing Efforts

Agenda

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1. Use appropriate tests to achieve desired result

2. Remove standardized test scores from grades and GPAs

3. Remove Algebra II & English III performance level requirements

4. Change Cumulative Score requirements5. Require no more than 3 EOCs required for

graduation

We Are Advocating For

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Advocacy #1 – Appropriate Tests

Desired Result : • College and Career Ready students, nationally

competitiveAppropriate Tests:

Gr. 3 – 7 Gr. 8 Gr. 10 Gr. 11Iowa Test of Basic Skills

(ITBS)

EXPLORE PLAN PSATACT

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Advocacy #2 – Limit EOCs

If EOC exams are required to be passed for graduation, limit the number to 2 or 3 • The number of tests required to pass to

graduate in Texas far outnumber any other state

Number of States 25 0 7 10 2 4 1 TEXAS

Number of Tests Required to Pass for

Graduation0 1 2 3 4 5 6 - 9 11 - 15*

*Depending on Graduation Plan1 Data from Center of Education Policy: “State High School Exit Exams: A Policy in Transition” 9/12

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Advocacy #3 – Eliminate 15%

Remove Standardized Test Scores from Course Grades and GPAs• Students have ample incentive to do well on

tests when they are required for graduation• Grades are a matter of local control• Teachers need to be allowed to teach and

evaluate students

15%XUPDATE: as of 11/30/12, deferred for the 2012-13 school year and legislators have signaled their intent to permanently eliminate

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Advocacy #4 – Remove College Barriers

Eliminate Algebra II & English III Performance Level Requirements

These are arbitrary barriers and impediments for admission to a 4-year Texas college or university for many qualified and eager students with a diversity of talents

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Advocacy #5 – Eliminate Cumulative Score

Change Cumulative Score Requirements• If we retain the cumulative score requirement,

change it from mandatory to optional, if it will help a student

(CS ≥ (n x SP)) = Huh???

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TAMSA Mission





Agenda

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1. SB 240 / HB 640 (Sen. Van de Putte and Rep. Diane Patrick) • Eliminates 15% requirement• Reduces # of EOCs from 15 to 3: Alg I and Eng III (R &W)• Eliminates cumulative score requirement• Allows substitution of dual credit courses and certain scores on

AP, IB and SAT or ACT exams for EOCs • Suspends 2012-2013 state accountability ratings• Prohibits use of EOCs for student class rank or admission into

Texas colleges2. SB 135 (Sen. Dan Patrick - Chair of Senate Education Committee)

• Provides school districts the option to include up to 15% of EOC scores into students’ final grades.

• Hearing on bill occurred 1-31-2013. Expected out of committee with floor vote soon.

Testing Legislation Filed To-Date

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3. SB 3 (Sen. Dan Patrick - Chair Senate Education Committee) • Creates multiple graduation pathways• Requires 14.5 credits: 4 English, 3 math, 2 science, 3 social studies,

½ speech, 1 PE, and 1 fine arts or CTE. • Students can earn endorsements in a) Distinguished; b)

Business/Industry; c) Arts/humanities; or d) STEM. Distinguished requires 4 x 4 and Eng III/Alg II performance levels. SBOE will determine classes to qualify for endorsements.

• Creates new performance standard on EOCs for "distinguished“ (> "satisfactory“)

• Accountability standards include distinguished level endorsements • Personal Graduation Plans required for middle and high school

students • Additional requirements for students in failing situation


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4. SB 225 (Sen. Kel Seliger)• Eliminates requirement that EOC scores count for 15% of

students' grades• Administers all 15 EOC exams but reduces the # of EOCs

required to pass for graduation to 5: Alg I, Eng III (R & W), Biology, and US History

• Changes the graduation plan to a foundation curriculum with endorsements (effective 2014-15)

5. HB 224 (Rep. Dan Huberty)• Eliminates requirement that EOC scores count for 15% of

students' grades


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6. HB 596 (Rep. Mike Villarreal)• Allows school districts the option to include up to 15% of EOC

scores in students’ final grades• Removes cumulative score requirement• Reduces # of EOCs required to pass for graduation to 4: Eng III,

Alg II, 1 science and 1 social studies7. HB 670 (Rep. Bennett Ratliff)

• Eliminates requirement that EOC scores count for 15% of students' grades

• Allows substitution of national tests such as IB, ACT, SAT, SAT subject tests for EOC tests

• Supports local option to administer norm-referenced tests instead of any state mandated test at any grade level


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8. HB 85 (Rep. Bill Callegari)• Allows school districts the option to include up to 15% of

EOC scores into students’ final grades• Provides for norm-referenced tests in grades 3-8 in

math, reading and science; • Requires 3 EOCs for graduation on any plan: Alg I, Eng III

and one science9. HB 866 (Rep. Dan Huberty)• Reduce testing in grades 3-8• Math and reading - grades 3, 5, and 8• Writing and science - grades 5 and 8• Social studies - grade 8• Assessments offered in Spanish - grades 3, 4, and 5


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10. HB 5 (Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock – Chair of House Education Committee)• Expecting bill to be filed on February 6

11. SB 2 (Sen. Dan Patrick - Chair of Senate Education Committee)• Expecting bill to be filed shortly

.


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TAMSA Mission





Agenda

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• Meeting with legislators across the state• Meeting with parent and community groups• Meeting with teacher groups• Meeting with business groups• Writing Op-Eds and Counter Op-Eds• Participating in TV and newspaper interviews• Speaking on panels• Working with education and testing experts at UT Austin• Testifying in hearings before the House, Senate and State

Board Of Ed• Filed comments on the NCLB waiver

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• Filed comments on TEA new state accountability system• Petitioned for a rulemaking at TEA to allow substitution of

AP/IB/SAT Subject exams for EOC’s• Filed a letter to TEA on STAAR implementation questions,

including asking for the writing grading rubric• Provided every legislator with TAMSA information packet• Through website and FB, actively educating concerned

members of pertinent information and filed legislation• Mobilizing members through “Call to Action” emails• Continuing to testify at Senate, House and TEA sessions

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“I believe in standardizing automobiles,

not human beings.”

Albert Einstein

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Contact Us

Sign up for updates on our website: www.tamsatx.org

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter www.facebook.com/tamsatxwww.twitter.com/tamsatx Email: [email protected]

http://www.tamsatx.org/

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texans advocating for meaningful student assessment (tamsa)

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