TAKS Tests Link

If you are wondering what the TAKS tests are .... here is a link so you can see them for yourself ... http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/resources/release/

On this page you will see a link to actual online tests or you can print out copies for yourself along with the answer keys.

Before you judge me and other teachers, please take a few hours and sit down and take the 11th grade Math, Science, Social Studies and ELA(English Language Arts) tests. Both the Math and the Science tests offer a Formula Chart which you will need ... so be sure you print it out.

Please understand that if you feel overwhelmed by the questions on these tests ... THAT IS EXACTLY HOW THE STUDENTS FEEL WHEN THEY TAKE THEM, TOO. Also, please understand that these tests are testing stuff that the students learned a year or more ago.

Your excuse of having been out of school too long doesn't hold water with me .... how much do you remember about something over a year AFTER you learned it? These are the tests that students MUST pass to graduate from High School.

I would be interested to hear how you feel about these tests. I would also like for you to compare the difficulty level of the Social Studies test to the difficulty level of the Math and Science tests.

Once again .... please understand that EVERY STUDENT must pass these tests to graduate. Would you have been able to graduate from High School if these tests had been in place?

The TAKS tests for all grade levels are available at this site .... check them out.

Also .... a little known fact .... All Texas 3rd graders must pass the reading TAKS to go to 4th grade.

AND .... New this year .... all Texas 5th graders must pass the reading TAKS and the Math TAKS in order to go to Middle School. The reading test has already been given and 1 out of 4 students have failed it .... 25% of Texas 5th graders failed the reading TAKS test. They will have 2 more chances to pass it before 6th grade starts in the Fall. I cannot wait to see how they do on the Math TAKS!!

AND ... in three years, all Texas 8th graders will be required to pass all four TAKS tests in order to get into High School. If the state holds to those standards, it will be at that point that the High School teacher's job will once again be to teach High School courses. For as long as I have been teaching, the High School teacher's job has been to somehow make-up for all the education the students haven't been held accountable for in Middle School and Elementary School. Students did just get "passed along" until they ran into the Brick Wall of High School Math and English. High School teachers have been held accountable for YEARS ... and we have gotten to where we refuse to pass a kid who isn't going to have at least a fighting chance of passing the TAKS.

We have students who take Algebra I two, three, even four times before they pass!

Hopefully, if they have to pass the 8th grade TAKS to get to High School, then they will be better prepared for High School Math .... and that will be a very novel experience for High School Math teachers.