Chapter 101. Assessment
Subchapter DD. Commissioner's Rules Concerning Alternative Exit-Level Assessments
Statutory Authority: The provisions of this Subchapter DD issued under the Texas Education Code, §39.025, unless otherwise noted.
§101.4001. Testing Requirements for Graduation.
(a) Each school district and charter school shall test eligible students in accordance with the Texas Education Code (TEC), Chapter 39, Subchapter B. All students must pass exit-level assessments in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies to qualify for a high school diploma from a Texas public school.
(b) In accordance with the TEC, Chapter 39, Subchapter B, the commissioner of education adopts the SAT® verbal/critical reading and mathematics tests and the ACT® English and mathematics tests as alternative exit-level assessments that eligible students with qualifying scores may substitute respectively for the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) exit-level assessments in English language arts and mathematics beginning in the spring of 2006.
(c) The commissioner establishes the level of performance considered to be satisfactory on the approved alternative exit-level assessments as follows.
(1) The required passing standard to qualify to substitute the SAT® verbal/critical reading test for the TAKS exit-level English language arts assessment is at least 472.
(2) The required passing standard to qualify to substitute the SAT® mathematics test for the TAKS exit-level mathematics assessment is at least 461.
(3) The required passing standard to qualify to substitute the ACT® English test for the TAKS exit-level English language arts assessment is at least 17.7.
(4) The required passing standard to qualify to substitute the ACT® mathematics test for the TAKS exit-level mathematics assessment is at least 19.5.
(d) An eligible student who has met the passing standard as set by the commissioner on a state-approved alternative exit-level assessment in a particular subject area has satisfied the exit-level testing requirement in that subject area.
(e) Once a district or charter school has verified that the student is eligible for and has satisfied the requirements under this subchapter and satisfied the coursework requirements to be eligible for a high school diploma in Texas, the district or charter school is authorized to grant a diploma to the student.
Source: The provisions of this §101.4001 adopted to be effective April 3, 2006, 31 TexReg 2857.
§101.4003. Determining Eligibility.
(a) A student is eligible to substitute an alternative exit-level assessment for a Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) exit-level assessment for purposes of this subchapter if the student after January 1 of the year in which the student would otherwise be eligible to graduate:
(1) enrolls in a public school in Texas for the first time; or
(2) enrolls in a public school in Texas after an absence of at least four years from any public school in this state. A student meets this requirement if he or she has not been enrolled for one or more days in a public school in Texas in the four years preceding the day on which the student enrolls in a Texas public school after January 1 of the year in which the student would otherwise be eligible to graduate.
(b) Each school district and charter school shall be responsible for verifying a student's eligibility for the alternative exit-level assessment.
Source: The provisions of this §101.4003 adopted to be effective April 3, 2006, 31 TexReg 2857.
§101.4005. Verification of Results.
(a) A student who is eligible to substitute an approved alternative exit-level assessment for a Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) exit-level assessment is responsible for providing to the school district an official copy of his or her scores from the alternative assessment.
(b) A school district or charter school must, upon receipt of official results from an approved alternative exit-level assessment for a student who is eligible under this section:
(1) verify the student's score on the alternative assessment; and
(2) determine whether the student met the performance standard required to qualify for a public high school diploma in Texas as established by the commissioner of education.
Source: The provisions of this §101.4005 adopted to be effective April 3, 2006, 31 TexReg 2857.
For additional information, email rules@tea.state.tx.us.