Texas Assessment Program
State Developed Alternative Assessment (SDAA)
Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)
The New IDEA Regulations Section 300.138 incorporates statutory requirements relating to the inclusion of children with disabilities in general State and district-wide assessments and the conduct of alternate assessments for children who cannot be appropriately included in the general assessments. In response to this federal mandate, the Texas Assessment Program will include special education students in testing using either the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills or the State Developed Alternative Assessment. Region 10 SDAA and TAKS staff development may include but is not limited to, the following:
- The history and evolution of the SDAA and TAKS
- Administrator and teacher training on TEKS based IEPs and instruction
- ARD committee training on determining the most appropriate assessments
- Determining the allowability of accommodations on SDAA & TAKS
- Interpreting assessment
- Setting expected achievement levels
While most staff development activities coordinated by this program may be found in the Region 10 special education staff development catalogs, additional information may be made available through special flyers and brochures. The Region 10 TAKS coordinator and the SDAA consultant are responsible for the timely dissemination of materials and information received from the Texas Education Agency pertaining to the Texas Assessment Program in the area of special education. Onsite technical assistance may be requested through the building principal and/or the special education director. These services are available at no cost to districts/SSAs, charter schools and parents.
John Anderson
Education Consultant
Telephone Number: 972- 348-1302
Email: John.Anderson@region10.org
Links
Texas Education Agency, Student Assessment
State-Developed Alternative Assessment (SDAA)
Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS)
Released Tests and Interactive Online Tests
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)
The New IDEA Regulations Section 300.347 requires a description of how a child’s disability affects the child’s involvement in the general curriculum (i.e., the same curriculum as for non-disabled children). A basic assumption made in both the statute and these final regulations is that the programming and services for each “individual” child would be tailored to address the child’s unique needs that impede the child’s ability to make meaningful progress in the general curriculum. The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) is the general curriculum in the state of Texas. Adopted in June of 1997, the TEKS must be addressed annually for all special education students. The Special Educator’s TEKS Series will offer subject/need specific training to teachers and school administrators on the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. Region 10 Special Educators TEKS Series staff development may include, but is not limited to, the following:
- Strategies on teaching TEKS to students with learning differences
- In-depth study of the structure and/or alignment of the general curriculum
- Administrative training on using the TEKS and/or IEP during evaluation
- ARD committee training on choosing appropriate levels of TEKS instruction
- Accommodating and modifying the TEKS
While most staff development activities coordinated by this program may be found in the Region 10 special education staff development catalogs, additional information may be made available through special flyers and brochures. Onsite technical assistance may be requested through the building principal and/or the special education director. These services are available at no cost to districts/SSAs,charter schools and parents.
John Anderson
Education Consultant
Telephone Number: 972- 348-1302
FAX Number: 972-348-1303
Email: John.Anderson@region10.org
LINKS
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills SPANISH