Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessment (TAMSA)

1. Texans Advocating for Meaningful Student Assessment (TAMSA)

2. Agenda TAMSA Mission History of Testing in Texas Changes We Are Advocating For Legislation Filed To-Date Our Continued Efforts

3. 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.

4. Who We Are A statewide, grassroots organization comprised of concerned parents and other community members

5. 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 theclassroom and withour students.

6. Agenda TAMSA Mission History of Testing in Texas Changes We Are Advocating For Legislation Filed To-Date Our Continued Efforts

7. Texas Student Assessment Programs HighStakes STAAR/EOC Increasing Public Accountability TAKS-AMAlt R I G O R LATSDAA II AYP TELPAS DyslexiaTAKS-I TAKS SDAA New State AccountabilitySystem TAAS TEAMS TABS 1979 1984 1989 2001 2003 2004 2005 2006 2011 2012

8. Return on Investment? After decades of non-stop testing, parents, employers, & tax-payers are asking… How much money has this cost us? Are our students better prepared for college and careers? Are our students more successful in completing college or obtaining technical certificates?

9. Texas Tax Dollars Paid to Pearson

10. 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.

11. 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

12. $12/hour

13. Texas TAKS % Passing: Sum of All Grades Testing 2003 - 2011 *2009 – 2011 include TAKS-Acc

14. Texas Mean SAT Scores 2003-2010 (Maximum Score 1600)

15. 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

16. 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

17. Effect on the Dropout Rate These TX students are starting 10th grade already behind. There is little chance that they can catch up and keep up.

18. Has It Been Worth It? Taxpayer Expense: $Billion+ College and Career Ready: No measurable improvement Successful in Higher Education: Below average Dropout Forecast: Troubling

19. Agenda TAMSA Mission History of Testing in Texas Changes We Are Advocating For Legislation Filed To-Date Our Continuing Efforts

20. We Are Advocating For Use appropriate tests to achieve desired result Remove standardized test scores from grades and GPAs Remove Algebra II & English III performance level requirements Change Cumulative Score requirements Require no more than 3 EOCs required for graduation

21. Advocacy #1 – Appropriate Tests Desired Result : • College and Career Ready students, nationally competitive Appropriate Tests:

22. Advocacy #2 – Limit EOCs *Depending on Graduation Plan 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 1 Data from Center of Education Policy: “State High School Exit Exams: A Policy in Transition” 9/12

23. Advocacy #3 – Eliminate 15% 15% X UPDATE:  as of 11/30/12, deferred for the 2012-13 school year and legislators have signaled their intent to permanently eliminate 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

24. Advocacy #4 – Remove College Barriers • 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 Eliminate Algebra II & English III Performance Level Requirements

25. Advocacy #5 – Eliminate Cumulative Score (CS ≥ (n x SP)) = Huh??? Change Cumulative Score Requirements If we retain the cumulative score requirement, change it from mandatory to optional, if it will help a student

26. Agenda TAMSA Mission History of Testing in Texas Changes We Are Advocating For Legislation Filed To-Date Our Continuing Efforts

27. Testing Legislation Filed To-Date • 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 colleges • 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.

28. Testing Legislation Filed To-Date • 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

29. Testing Legislation Filed To-Date • SB 225 (Sen. KelSeliger) • 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) • HB 224 (Rep. Dan Huberty) • Eliminates requirement that EOC scores count for 15% of students' grades

30. Testing Legislation Filed To-Date • 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 studies • 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

31. Testing Legislation Filed To-Date • 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 science • 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

32. Testing Legislation Filed To-Date • HB 5 (Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock – Chair of House Education Committee) • Expecting bill to be filed on February 6 • SB 2(Sen. Dan Patrick - Chair of Senate Education Committee) • Expecting bill to be filed shortly • .

33. Agenda TAMSA Mission History of Testing in Texas Changes We Are Advocating For Legislation Filed To-Date Our Continuing Efforts

34. Our Continuing Efforts 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

35. Our Continuing Efforts 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

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

38. Contact 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