Assessments Hold Schools, States And Nations Accountable...

Assessments Hold Schools, States and Nations Accountable...
According to IRA standards, "the primary purpose of assessment is to improve teaching and
learning" (International Reading Association, n.d.). This connotation would seem to contradict the
uselessness of focused teacher–testing in today's classroom during the major assessment phase of
the school year. However, according to Johnson and Johnson (2002) and Steward (2004), they
believe that assessments are useful in holding schools, states and nations, accountable throughout
the educational process for student learning (as cited in Richardson, Morgan, & Fleener, 2009). As
many of us educators in this district know, this accountability could be seen in our state's
profienciency exam, State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®), ... Show more
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It is important to note that no matter what type of evaluation is used the No Child Left Behind Act
(NCLB) calls for using strategies that are ensured to work in the education and assessment of our
students (Richardson, Morgan, & Fleener, 2009). However, it appears that this piece of legislation
causes panic whenever a statistic is concerned. In fact, it has even been called a type of American
education flu, indicating a panic that arises when our politicians and educational administrators see
America's education level falling beneath that of other developed countries (Gross, 2002). The
ripple effect that is caused by low scores on standardized tests result in dire consequences for both
students and teachers. Because the consequences are negatively impacting teachers which then can
impede student growth, support for educators has been recently emphasized by the Commission on
NCLB (2007). This amended policy not only called for significant educator support but also for fair,
accurate and quality options for students to demonstrate their levels of competency. Throughout the
school district there has been a sudden surge to hire highly qualified teachers, especially for core
subjects. For the district's current teachers, this means that the team they will work with in the future
and the future team leaders will have gone through extensive educational requirements and
professional
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Academic Performance Report
Based on the table above, it is evident that African–American (AA) students at Mitchell Boulevard
Elementary School (ES) are not meeting the passing standards in the State of Texas Assessment of
Academic Readiness (STAAR). According to the school's Texas Academic Performance Report, AA
students make up approximately 57% of the student population at Mitchell Boulevard. This data
signifies that more than half of the students in this school are in need of quality instruction and
intervention programs to foster their academic and social needs. As the principal of Mitchell
Boulevard, I would focus on the following goals to achieve optimal student performance on the
STAAR test and beyond: a) Increase in reading and math comprehension, fluency, ... Show more
Chappuis & Chappuis (2007) states that formative assessment is valuable to academic success as it
provides teachers an opportunity to adapt instruction by evidence, make changes and improvements
that will yield immediate benefits to student learning. Moreover, teachers and students will utilize
All in Learning – a software program that increases student engagement and provides teachers with
real–time data for adjusting their lessons as needed. This program will ensure all students have
access to rigorous, engaging curriculum & technology that promote accelerated learning & meets
their individual needs. The next intervention strategy is to accelerate student learning by providing
small group instruction in reading, math, and writing classes and conducting after school and
Saturday tutorials as additional instructional support. The Funtas &Pinnell Leveled Literacy
Intervention (LLI) – a short–term program designed to improve reading levels of struggling readers
– will be implemented with fidelity in reading and writing classrooms to provide intentional small
group lessons and build comprehension skills to ELL and AA students. Furthermore, Mentoring
Minds Total Motivation Math – a program that offers higher–order problem–solving and
mathematical processing skills into lessons – will be used in math classes to support rigorous
instruction to improve students'

Statewide Assessment Comparison
Statewide Assessment Comparison Prior to 1975, no federal requirements existed for students with
disabilities to attend school, or requirements for schools to attempt to teach students with disabilities
(Salvia, Yesseldyke, & Bolt, p. 25, 2013). However, upon the enactment of several federal laws,
such as Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and No Child Left Behind (NCLB),
students with disabilities received access to free, appropriate public education which in turn required
students with disabilities to participate in statewide assessments. According to Public Law 94–142
(now included in IDEA), it requires an individual education program (IEP) for students with
disabilities. The IEP contains items such as present levels of ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Determined by the eligibility of requirements, Texas offers five different versions of the STAAR and
the student may qualify for different assessment in different subjects. Most of the student population
completes the STAAR as a general state assessment while permitting some linguistic
accommodations such as an ELL who do not qualify for language specific assessments. Depending
on the geographical location within Texas and/or school district, those ELLs where Spanish most
appropriate measures their academic progress then they take STAAR Spanish, if offered. However,
not all ELLs speak Spanish, therefore, the STAAR L accommodates students with linguistic needs
in areas of mathematics, science and social studies assessment. While students with disabilities, take
the STAAR A assessment, including those who are ELLs and who meet eligibility requirements
according to their IEP or Section 504 documentation. Lastly, student receiving special education
services, including those who are ELLs, who meet requirements, take the STAAR Alternate 2. An
important note, although a student is an English language learner (ELL), inclusion may occur in
special education or Section 504; therefore, qualify for the STAAR A or STAAR Alternate 2
opposed to the STAAR L. The need for further clarification exists between the STAAR A and
STAAR Alternate 2 as there are some unique differences. While STAAR A is an accommodated
version of the STAAR providing assistance such as visual aids, graphic organizers, clarifications to
content being assessed, the STAAR Alternate 2 is specifically for students who have significant
cognitive disabilities and are receiving special education

Bradley Stonefield Limo Service Training Plan
Bradley Stonefield Limo Service Training Plan Employees are essential in the success of any
organization. They have to carry out different activities, which assist the company to attain its
business objectives. Various activities can be performed at diverse levels. Every level of activity
might require a different set of skills and experience. Despite the fact that employees can be hired
on a daily basis in agreement with job requirements, it is significant for any firm to train as well as
develop its employees. This is necessary in helping them meet the changes in the business sector.
Bearing in mind that the Stonefield Limo Services is a new company that is yet to be set up in
Austin Texas, there is absolute need to ensure the employees are well trained and have the necessary
experience and skills that will enable them to establish the company properly, albeit at an affordable
cost bearing the expected annual revenue of $50,000. Needs for the training program Being a new
company, there will be much focus on the training needs of the new employees to be deployed in the
Texas branch. Bearing that needs assessment is in three categories; organizational assessment,
occupational assessment and individual assessment, it will be important to concentrate on the
occupational assessment at this level. The organizational assessment is geared towards evaluating
the level of organizational performance which can only be conducted after the company is
established and running. The

Texas Cpa Exams Requirements
TEXAS UNIFORM CPA EXAM PAPER The Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination
(Uniform CPA Exam) is the examination taken by people who wish to become Certified Public
Accountants in the United States. The Uniform CPA Exam is developed and maintained by the
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and is administered by the National
Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA). In order to sit for the Uniform CPA Exam, a
person must be declared eligible to do so by one of the 55 state boards of accountancy in the United
States. However, the requirements of state boards vary. Thus, we should do some research about the
state's requirements we plan to take. I would like to state the results I searched ... Show more
* Understanding the Entity and Its Environment (including Internal Control) (16% – 20%) * For
example, the topics include determine and document materiality levels for financial statements,
conduct and document risk assessment discussions among audit team, consideration of fraud,
perform and document risk assessment procedures, consider internal control, document and
understanding of the entity and its environment, assess and document the risk of material
misstatements. * Performing Audit Procedures and Evaluating Evidence (16% – 20%) * For
example, the topics include develop overall responses to risks, and perform audit procedures
responsive to risks of material misstatement; obtain and document evidence to form a basis for
conclusions. * Evaluating Audit Findings, Communications, and Reporting (16% – 20%) * For
example, the topics include that perform overall analytical procedures, evaluate the sufficiency and
appropriateness of audit evidence and document engagement conclusions, evaluate whether audit
documentation is in accordance with professional standards, document the summary of uncorrected
misstatements and related conclusions, and evaluate whether financial statements are free of
material misstatements. * Accounting and Review Services Engagements (12% – 16%) * For
example, the topics include plan the engagement, obtain and document evidence to form a

Factors Of Career And Personality Assessments
Pathway to Elementary Education Emily is college freshman at Tarrant County College, a
community college based in Fort Worth, Texas. Emily plans to attend junior college for a year and
then would like to transfer to a larger university. She is struggling with the decision of choosing a
major. Deciding what she wants to do for "the rest of her life" is very stressful. Her parents think she
should go into the medical field because the jobs are plentiful, but she never did well in her science
classes in high school, and the sight of blood makes her sick. Emily mentioned that she worked with
the second grade class at church and always enjoyed her time with this age group. She wonders if
this interest might be something she should pursue. As Emily's academic advisor, I suggested some
helpful steps she should take that would assist her in making these important decisions.
Assessments
One of the first steps in helping a student who is undecided about their degree is to suggest useful
assessments. Career and personality assessments are beneficial in several ways. They can help
provide insight into personality traits, skills, and interests of a student. The results in turn can help
students make connections between these traits and careers that they are well suited for. There are
two tools in particular that I find beneficial. The first is a database called O*Net Online. This
website has assessment tools to measure abilities, interests, knowledge and skills. It also has

Implementation Of Evidence Based Practices
Evidence based practices like bedside reports have reduced the number of patient calls during
changes of shift. Hence scholarly discovery not only helps with present issues, but also helps in
assessing future needs to meet the strategic goals of an organization. Implementation of report by
the method known as SBAR (Situation–Background–Assessment–Recommendation) is another
example of the integration of knowledge in practice in this acute care hospital in north Texas.
Nursing is a practice and the pursuit of knowledge and understanding in nursing is inextricably
linked to practice. Scholarship is not only gaining the necessary knowledge but also applying the
application. In the discipline of nursing, the ability to the judge the scientific

Teaching Method Directly Affect The Success Of Students As...
Running head: DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION
The Importance of Differentiated Instruction:
Does this teaching method directly affect the
Success of students as measured by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills?
Layna S. Philipp
Tarleton State University
The Importance of Differentiated Instruction:
Does this teaching method directly affect the success of students as measured by the Texas
Assessment of Knowledge and Skills?
Introduction
As classrooms become more and more diverse, the growing challenge of K–12 teachers is to
respond appropriately to the differing needs of the students (Anderson, 2007). Throughout recent
years the number of students with diverse learning needs, who have been placed in ... Show more
§ 1400 et seq. (1975). The school may implement a scientifically based intervention as an aide to
determine if the child responds to instruction.
Teachers struggle daily to assist students in the classroom to be successful on state mandated tests
and comply with any special education guidelines. The high standards of these tests and fear of
litigation have left teachers grasping for methods in which to make general education attainable for
children with learning difficulties. This focus on standards came about in an effort to ensure that all
children received an equivalent level of education. Before standards–based teaching was required by
NCLB there was much room for individual teaching strategies. Students in different classrooms in
the same school would get a different education. A greater variance could be seen in specific
populations as well. Standards were lower for children with cognitive and physical disabilities
because less was expected of them (Levy, 2008). The purpose of this study is to discuss common
practices in differentiated instruction and show the correlation of those practices with the success
rate of children with learning disabilities as measured by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and
Skills (TAKS).
Differentiated

Definition Of Scope Of Practice
The scope of practice is defined as the activities that can be performed by a healthcare practitioner.
Scope of practice will define, which patients can be taken care by a healthcare provider and what
circumstances this care can be delivered. The scope of practice is determined based on the advanced
practice education role and population foci, scope of practice standards outlined by the APRN
associations or the national specialty organization, and the state nurse practice act and board of
nursing rules and regulations. An APRN, who licensed in a particular role and population is not
allowed to practice in another role or population unless he/she has additional formal education,
certification, and board of nursing recognition in the second role ... Show more content on
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According to the Institute of medicine report, advanced practice nurses should practice to the full
extent of their education and training. In order to meet the recommendation of IOM, APN need to
secure a work setting that permit them to work to the full extent of their education and training.
Scope of practice of APRN vary from State to State. Scope of practice determine what activities an
APN can perform. Hence, it is important for APN to know the scope of practice of their particular
State. A professional development plan is imperative for APNs as it will assist them to organize their
ideas about how they can grow professionally and how to accomplish them. Role transition of an
APN is a difficult process, as an expert nurse may have to revert his/ her role to a student nurse and
become a novice practitioner. It is significant for APNs to prepare themselves before entering the
job market. Today organizations and practices are looking for most qualified candidates to fill their
position. A personal evaluation is an important step in professional development. A personal
evaluation based on Benner's novice to expert model allow the APNs to identify their strength and
weakness as well as their goals and objectives. Working on the weakened areas will enable the APN
to improve the performance skills and be a better candidate in job market. Marketing and
networking allow the

Early Childhood Intervention: Educating The Whole Child
First, let me say what a privilege it is for me to teach and play with your children! Learning is a
journey, and I'm so excited to be a part of your child's journey. As your child's Early Childhood
Intervention (ECI) Specialist, I would like to explain why I use the constructivist educational
approach in your child's learning and why we focus on developing the whole child. I also want to
explain why I believe learning centers are the most engaging and beneficial learning style for your
child, and what you can do to help further your child's learning experience.
You may be asking yourself what is a constructivist learning approach or what does educating the
whole child mean. More than likely, you learn or teach your children everyday using the
constructivist approach, but maybe you just never knew what you were participating in actually had
a name. The constructivist theory supports the idea of learning from your ... Show more content on
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As an ECI specialist, I normally work with your child in a 1–on–1 setting with our learning center
activities. I create activities for your child to play and create individually while I encourage and
observe. We also have center activities where I participate and play with your child, but I always
encourage constructivism by creating learning experiences that develops knowledge from play and
experiences. Your child's learning center activities are created from their individual education plan
(IEP) and the Pre–K guidelines as mandated by the state of Texas. Assessments are also within the
activities. The assessments are used to modify and develop the IEP and future learning center
activities. I create developmentally appropriate learning center activities and materials to ensure
whole child development while encouraging learning within a constructivist

The Pros And Cons Of Texas Standardized Testing
Is The Texas State Standardized Test Really Helping Our Children? There once was a time when
students were enthusiastic about going to school; However, for many Texas students that couldn't be
farther from the truth. The Texas state standardized test was once used as a building block for our
children's education, accessing their progression ; however this is no longer the case. Now, our
children's education is structured around passing the test, not actually learning the academic
curriculum. This test not only takes away from our children's education, but places a magnitude of
stress on the students , teachers, and administration. So, is State of Texas Assessment of Academic
Readiness (STARR) really helping our children? The Texas state ... Show more content on
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As I mentioned earlier, our children's classroom curriculum is being structured around the STARR
test. This not only takes away from our children's education, but it also takes away from the teachers
ability to teach. Let me explain, teachers use to have the ability to formulate their own lesson plans,
while following grade appropriate curriculum. Students would write topic choice essay and research
papers, construct projects and present them to the class, as well as partake in educational field trips.
however, now there is no time for this type of educational instruction. Now, the state of Texas, in
preparation for the STARR , not only provides teachers with their classroom curriculum, they also
tell them how long they have to teach it, with is usually one week per instructional unit. Not only is
this stressful for the teachers, and take away from their teaching abilities, but it also changes the
dynamic with in the classroom. If teachers are stressed about their teaching methods which are
supported by their students STARR scores, but also have to fit a substantial amount for information
in a small amount of time, all while making sure each student understands and comprehends the
information given before going to the next unit. This is where emotions and stress intertwine,
causing a poisonous learning environment. If a teacher is stressed out, and her students are

The Texas Constitution Guarantees An Efficient System Of...
The Texas Constitution guarantees an "efficient system of public free schools," but schools have
recently found themselves unable to provide an adequate education to the more than 5 million
students in Texas because of the many problems within the education policy in the state. Such issues
involve school financing, lack of preparation for college, early childhood education, teacher quality,
and school choice. Tough all of these conflicts pose a potential threat to the school system's
competence and effectiveness as well as to Texas' economy, there are a broad number of possible
adjustment and reforms that could be placed to improve the adequacy of Texas' school system.
The biggest issue relating to the education policy in Texas is the ... Show more content on
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State legislators slashed more than $121 million from college financial aid programs alone, leaving
29,000 students without the possibility of receiving aid from TEXAS grants, the state's financial aid
program for needy students. Since Texas colleges and universities were also cut 9 percent by the
legislator, they were forced to raise prices for students. Due to the uncertainty of the Texas financial
aid, many college administrators reported losing numerous highly qualified students to out–of–state
universities and colleges and many families have lost the ability to pay for tuition because of the
lack of resources.
Many of the other financing problems come from individual districts that some times misuse money
that could be used to better the quality of education. Assistant Attorney General Shelly Dahlberg,
said that individual districts must also "show they are spending their money efficiently".
Superintendents spend too much on items that they seem to prioritize such as iPads and equipment
for the sports departments and other extracurricular activities that aren't required by the state. At
times, they also base their teacher pay on seniority rather than student performance. If Texas were to
stop overemphasizing on the local control of its school districts and were to hold individual districts
responsible for not spending their money efficiently, there would be a lot less shortcomings and a lot
more money directed into bettering the

Commentary on Student of Texas Assessments of Academic...
As the time passes by, the school board in Texas changes the requirements for passing to the next
school grade level. "Texas led the way in implementing standardized test in the early 1990s"
(Klein). Before, grade level students used to take the TAKS (Texas Assessment Knowledge and
Skills) and now students are taking STAAR (Student of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness)
test. With this choice, students are not learning other materials other than just testing, testing, and
more testing material. I believe that students should be taught something different other than just
focusing on tests for the whole school year.
Texas has "more than 776 school boards, covering 85 percent of the students in the state, have
passes resolutions calling for a more nuanced, less punitive approach to student and school
assessment in the last few months. And that's after the state began rolling out the new–and–
improved testing system known as STAAR" (Michels). I disagree with Michels because the STAAR
test is more pressure for students, yes is a different standardize test, but is just a different way to
evaluate children in their school learning. Many of the students are probably trying to memorize all
this things they are taught for the STAAR test, but at the end they would not even remember a single
thing they were taught for the test. The STAAR test is a waste of time because statistics show that
"students who failed their STAAR test last year and took remedial classes over the summer,

The Texas Assessment Of Knowledge And Skills
The Texas Assessment of knowledge and skills, known as TAKS is a standardized test used
throughout the State of Texas to determine whether or not a child is prepared for the next grade
level. The TAKS test was implemented in 2003 to replace the "No child Left behind Act" The new
addition to the test added science as well as social studies to the already existing math, reading and
English. This test was design to obtain more information on where students currently resided in
academics. Many have found flaw and criticized this test for numerous of reasons. The TAKS test
has became ineffective in several ways it's used to determine a teacher's bonus or how well they
communicate given information. When taking into account all theses view points, I have come to
the conclusion that the TAKS and the STARR should no longer be used in its current role. One of
the difficulties that arise with this test is the pass or Fail System. The test is also known for being
bias towards those students who come from higher–class neighborhoods, simply because they have
more educational resources. "The absence of standards virtually guarantees satisfied renouncement
and access to knowledge, based upon income, ethnicity and the community one resides in" (French
2003). The resource available in the suburban culture has more of a variety than those who stay in
rural population. The reason being is the gap between incomes, surroundings' and family support.
People that stay in the suburbs contribute

Health Literacy Research Paper
Health literacy is the knowledge of basic health information and services that allows individuals to
make good health decisions. Both the individual and the professional are responsible for one's health
literacy. That is why it is important that the government continues to enforce licensures across
health professions, so that patients receive the best of instruction. In my expected career, speech
language pathology, health literacy plays an important role because it is through effective
communication skills that individuals make appropriate health decisions. I want to dedicate my life
to being an SLP, so that patients with communication disorders can be health literate and their
overall health improve.
People with speech and language disorders are at high risks for low health literacy because their
impairment in the ability to receive and comprehend information keeps them from receiving health
information effectively. Speech language pathologists, SLPs, are specialists in the assessment,
diagnosis, and treatment of communication, voice, and swallowing disorders. Through therapy
patients improve their cognitive and social skills. With stronger cognitive and social skills, these ...
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In Texas, the introduction of House Bill 1684 has brought a lot of anxiety to both contemporary
audiologists and SLPs. House Bill 1684 would eliminate licensure requirements in the State of
Texas, placing patients at significant risk of harm, malpractice. Low quality care could possibly
result. (why would that be bad?) An insignificant dollar value to renew the licensures is totally
trivial, compared to the mass amount of people who could suffer from this bill; professionals and
patients. Many organizations like the Texas Speech–Language–Hearing Association, TSHA, are
working with our representative to fight the approval of this

The Importance Of Bilingual Education In Texas
Educators from several different school districts in Texas, the state with one of the highest Hispanic
student enrollments in the country, sought out to provide an answer to this issue. Gallo, Garcia,
Pinuelas and Youngs agree that the definition of bilingual education is very similar to Slavin's. They
stated that bilingual education "is a process, one which educates students to be effective in a second
language while maintaining and nurturing their first language" (2008). Not only did these
researchers seek the problems of bilingual education using 3 separate Texas schools as their basis of
the study, but they also came up with a very plausible curriculum that could be implemented in the
state to allow bilingual education to be more effective.

High School Students : Common Core And College And Career...
Hispanic high school graduates exposed to two different curriculums: Common Core and College
and Career Readiness
The Race to the Top program has spearheaded many highs school to purse programs that increase
students completion of college from 40 to 60 percent within 16 years of their induction into the
public education system (Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology,
n.d.). The government's plan is the faster the student completes their higher education, the faster
they join the workforce and contribute to our economy. The Texas Education Agency initiative
called P–16, is one of the driving forces that has high school curriculums offering college credit
while student have not left high school. The government spends approximately 10,000 dollars
annually on each student's education and yet there is no significant increase of improving college
completion rates. These rates depends on several factors, one being a student's ethnicity (Moore,
2010). The second factor to effect the college graduation rates is how these initiatives are being
integrated into the college readiness standards. Federally funded programs, such as Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) (Hemmer, 2013). The third factor focus on the
technological implementation of the two types of standard state assessment systems and problematic
communication between accountability reports.
This research will show a comparison between the common core standards and college

Mental Illness: A Case Study
In pursuing a PhD at University of Texas El Paso, I seek to address a broad question: Is our
correctional system equipped to successfully manage and improve outcomes for mentally ill
offenders supervised in the community? One particularly disheartening conclusion that I reached
from my educational experiences as an undergraduate and graduate student was that mental illness
is still not well understood by professionals and lay persons alike. Much was–and is–still to be
discovered about accurate and reliable diagnosis, effective treatment, and successful integration of
people with mental illness in our communities. In my pursuit of knowledge on this topic, I quickly
discovered an even more troubling reality that people with mental illness are ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
I also considered how our overburdened justice system and societal stigma influences the general
public's responses to mentally ill individuals in the community and wondered how the system could
be improved. If mentally ill offenders face challenges in institutional confinement, what happens
when they live in the community and similar issues arise? How does the training and expertise of
our community corrections officers affect supervision outcomes for this population? I wonder what
researchers and policy makers can do to better inform practitioners about how to manage and
improve outcomes of mentally disordered offenders supervised in the

Statewide Assessment Comparison
(Salvia, Yesseldyke, & Bolt, p. 25, 2013). However, upon the enactment of several federal laws,
students with disabilities received access to free, appropriate public education which in turn required
students with disabilities to participate in statewide assessments. According to Public Law 94–142
(now included in IDEA), it requires an individual education program (IEP) for students with
disabilities. The IEP contains items such as present levels of ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Determined by the eligibility of requirements, Texas offers five different versions of the STAAR and
the student may qualify for different assessment in different subjects. Most of the student population
completes the STAAR as a general state assessment while permitting some linguistic
accommodations such as an ELL who do not qualify for language specific assessments. Depending
on the geographical location within Texas and/or school district, those ELLs where Spanish most
appropriately measures their academic progress then they take STAAR Spanish, if offered.
However, not all ELLs speak Spanish, therefore, the STAAR L accommodates students with
linguistic needs in areas of mathematics, science and social studies assessment; however, some
students with disabilities take the STAAR A assessment, including those who are ELLs and who
meet eligibility requirements according to their IEP or Section 504 documentation. Lastly, students
receiving special education services, including those who are ELLs, who meet requirements, take
the STAAR Alternate 2. An important note, although a student is an English language learner (ELL),
inclusion may occur in special education or Section 504; therefore, qualify for the STAAR A or
STAAR Alternate 2 opposed to the STAAR L. The need for further clarification exists between the
STAAR A and STAAR Alternate 2 as there are some unique differences. The STAAR provides an
accommodated version known as STAAR A, it provides assistance such as visual aids, graphic
organizers, clarifications to content; while the STAAR Alternate 2 exists specifically for students
who have significant cognitive disabilities and receive special education

Social Issues In Middle Schools Essay
The middle school at Great Lakes Academy is comprised of grades 6th through 8th and currently
has a total student enrollment of 37. The population comprises of four female students and 33 male
students. The disproportion of male students to female students is directly related to the learning
differences that have been identified in the current student population.
At times the shortage of female students can prove to be difficult when educating middle school
students. In middle school, some students are beginning to show interest in their peers of the
opposite gender. The social issues that effects teens today become much more apparent in a small
school setting. Teachers must be aware of the social issues that the students are struggling with and
make adjustments to the instruction. For instance, peer grouping may be difficult when students are
not getting along with a particular student because of a break–up or new relationship that formed
over the weekend.
Once students reach middle school parents tend to reduce communication with their child's teacher.
However, the opposite occurs at the middle school of Great Lakes Academy. Parent teacher
communication continues to remain strong. Parents frequently ask what they can do at home to help
their child. The strong parent teacher communication allows for the teacher to assign assignments to
be ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
There is a Smart board in the front of the room that is utilized for both student instruction and
student interaction. Every student in the class also has a personal laptop that they use for completing
assignments in Google Classroom. For math, the teacher utilizes the math computer program
Mathletics. Mathletics supplements the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and the students
individual Gap plan. In Mathletics students are able to compete with other students around the world
in various math

Standardized Testing And Student Performance Analysis
In life today society is surrounded by numbers, in particular schools districts depends on data from
tests to evaluate how they perform in comparison to other districts. Students who attend public or
private schools are subjected to take certain standardized tests to measure their academic
achievements throughout their school life. Studies show, that these test do not always help student's
academic growth, in fact some researchers show that standardized test may hurt students in the long
run. Due to the fact that retention is a possibility for students who perform low on standardized test,
these students may develop test anxiety and disengagement from their academic career. An example
in 2015 is that, the overall performance of student failing ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
For example, I will illustrate with my personal experience with the STARR and EOC to further
explain the impact on a student's academic life. I was administered the English 1 test 8 times during
my freshman, sophomore and junior year, while I had already mastered English 2 test. Per this
information, a red flag is brought up, how a student could pass a sophomore test, EOC English 2,
but not past the freshman level test? If the purpose of standardized test is to show academic growth,
how was I not able to move on from EOC English 1since I mastered concepts from EOC English 2?
One way to address this problem is by making "standardized test [to] be one part of a
comprehensive assessments system" (How Standardized Testing Damages Education (Updated July
2012) 1). By using this method we could minimize and maybe even eliminate consequences of the
STARR and EOC tests. By an organization called Fair Test, "Students with disabilities, are more
likely to be denied diplomas, retained in grade, [and be] placed in a lower track" due to poor
performance on standardize' testing. Since these tests are one of the most important indicators of
school performances, students and teachers feel the pressure to do well on them, and they become
stigmatized if they fail the most important indicator of success to the Texas Education Agency (How
Standardized Testing Damages Education (Updated July 2012) 1). Although STAAR and EOC test
were created to measure students' academic growth, the emotional impact of failing these tests can
be devastating to students. Especially because these standardized tests do not always provide the
needed support that all students require to display their full knowledge of Texas

Standardized Testing Has Made A Huge Impact Not Only On...
Standardized testing has made a huge impact not only on our educational system, it has also had a
negative impact on certain groups of students. One of the groups of students that have been affected
by standardized testing the most are English Language Learners (ELL). ELL's are expected to take
and pass a test that they are not able to read and understand. It is not fair to make students take a test
in a language that they are still learning and will not be able to comprehend. Although there are
modified tests for ELL's to take hardly any of them can qualify for it. They are left taking a test they
are not able to understand. Different accommodations should be made to help the ELL's who do not
qualify for the modified test, but are also not qualified to take the regular test. The No Child Left
Behind Act (NCLB) was implemented in an effort to help students learn and meet their full potential
academically. The NCLB was put into place by the government to have more of an input in the
standards that schools must meet. The Common Core initiative was implemented to make schools in
every state equal and have the same curriculum. Texas is one of the states that has decided not to
adhere to the Common Core initiative. Texas's standards are based on Texas Essential Knowledge
and Skills (TEKS). Standardized tests are the formal assessments schools use to make sure students
are meeting the required state standards. The standardized test that Texas uses for assessment is
called the

Role Transition
The concept of role transition from practical nurse to registered nurse:
A role is defined as a set of expectations society assumes a person in a certain position or occupation
will perform. As we advance in our nursing career we have to deal with the role transition as well.
LVNs and RNs share some professional roles such as being patient advocates, counselors, mentors,
educators, leaders, and communicators. But, RNs also have significantly different roles with higher
expectations. The difference between LVNs and RNs is that the professional nurse has a more
expanded educational level and is expected to have higher knowledge of clinical and critical
thinking skills. Their scope of practice is a bit more extensive than the LVNs. Registered ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
LVN to RN transitional programs has become very popular because they are fast paced programs
that can take as little as one year to complete. ADN programs can take up to two years to complete
integrating a balance between courses in liberal arts, natural social, and behavioral sciences, and of
course nursing. This programs require anywhere from 60–72 credit hours which half are nursing
courses. Registered nurse courses focus on the "thinking" skills necessary to direct patient care.
After graduating from and approved program, then the RN is also required to take the NCLEX–RN
and must pass to obtain a license to practice in the field. There are a lot of opportunities to advance
your nursing education degrees such as bachelors, masters, even to nurse practitioner. The more
education and higher degree we have, the more opportunities we have of advancement.
Compare and contrast the difference in role responsibilities:
Role responsibilities and the scope of practice between vocational nurses and registered nurses are
very different. I've heard the saying, "LVNs know the how and the RNs know the why" and I
couldn't agree with that more. The skills part of nursing have minimal differences but professional
nurses are held more accountable and are expected to know how to react and make important
decisions upon an emergency, they do not always have someone to go to for advice.
Scope of practice in

Essay on English Language Learners
racie Allen of the comedy team of Burns and Allen was once asked how one should speak French.
She replied, "Well, you speak it the same way you speak English; you just use different words."
When trying to assist in instructing English language learners, they usually have many concepts and
language abilities that they need to master, as do the teachers that are trying to teach them. With the
incorporation of the concepts and approaches to identify and assess the issues and concerns that we
have learned in our classroom instruction, such as lesson preparation, building background, and
comprehensible input, we can indeed teach our future English language learners all the right moves
with all the right words.
One of the first challenges that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Because procedures are not in place in many schools and school districts to successfully determine
academic placement of English language learners, many of these learners are sometimes placed
inappropriately. Some who do not need special services (other than English as a second language)
may find themselves in special education classes. Others who need special services may be placed
in regular classes without the extra supports and services that they need. Working with English
language learners and with students requiring special education services requires collaboration
among teachers, school psychologists, speech pathologists, and assessment personnel with expertise
in general, bilingual, and special education. By incorporating these important and critical procedures
in our planning processes, these collaborations in the identification and assessment of English
language learners can be a less stressful and more constructive process.
A second issue that ELL instructors must contend with is NCLB testing requirements, which involve
legal as well as academic understanding. Under Title I and Title III of the law, districts must also
annually (in kindergarten through grade 12)

O. Net Online Research Paper
O*Net Online's database is the nation's primary source for occupational and career information.
O*Net answers questions about an occupation's work requirements and skills needed for a specific
job. Secondary level advising catches my eye, so I chose to learn more about the skills, knowledge,
wages and educational level required for academic advising. Academic advising, stated by O*Net
Online, "counsels' individuals to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral
problems affecting their educational and vocational situations." (Build your future with O*Net
Online. (n.d.)). Academic Advising also includes crisis intervention, keeping accurate records of
students, and preparing students for success after high school.

The Pros And Cons Of Standardized Testing
Standardized testing began with the pass of the "No Child Left Behind Act" during the George W.
Bush presidency in the early 2000's. The act indorsed federal education programs that require
students to be tested in core subjects in English, Science, Math, and History in elementary and
secondary schools. It introduced the twenty–first century into a new era of public school education
on how students and schools are measured on their academic performance by using what are called
end of course test or otherwise known as EOC exams that are developed by the state through
programs and practices that are effective based on scientific research. The school is then given an
Adequate Yearly Progress based on the performance of students that demonstrates the accountability
of how well students are learning and how successful teachers are instructing. The "No Child Left
Behind Act" expired on September 30, 2007, and was replaced by the "Every Student Succeeds
Act". This has been widely criticized by educational professionals because there are no funds to
implement the law, the testing requirement is too time–consuming, and the test does take into
account the diverse skills of students. Although these standardized tests known as STAAR (State of
Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness) formally TAKS, (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and
Skills) have given educators and officials data and analyses on performances of students, the
problem is there is no knowledge on how to use the

The Assessment Of An Assessment
Introduction The assessment process is one that an educator often contemplates while planning a
curriculum, implementing instruction, and after the assessment. Creating an assessment that helps
students continue their learning should be the main goal. One way to help foster an assessment
environment of continuous learning is to provide students with authentic assessments that they play
an active role in. Performance assessments that give students authentic tasks to complete help
teachers assess what students know and are thinking (Laureate Education, Inc., 2010). It is
important that students are able to demonstrate their learning in a way that suits them. In order to do
this, assessments should be aligned with the standards and should be ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Students are expected to write an argumentative essay (e.g., evaluative essays, proposals) to the
appropriate audience that includes: a clear thesis or position based on logical reasons with various
forms of support (e.g., hard evidence, reason, common sense, and cultural assumptions) (Texas
Education Agency, 2010). This standard suggests that students should be able to write
argumentatively by using persuasive techniques. Therefore this performance assessment will help
students understand how rhetorical appeals are used to persuade voters in elections. As a result of
the knowledge gained, students will be able to convince an audience of voters by their use of
persuasive techniques by the end of the unit. Understandings and Essential Questions A unit on
persuasive writing is meant to teach students that they can write persuasively to serve a purpose. As
a result of this assessment, students should understand that the art of writing persuasively is used in
several aspects of life, including politics. Assessments should be ongoing learning opportunities for
students (McTighe and O'Connor, 2005). Throughout the course of the unit, students will be
answering the essential question: How does the use of persuasive techniques make

Standardized Test Scores An Accurate Representation Of A...
Are standardized test scores an accurate representation of a student 's abilities?
Standardized tests can be found at any level of a student's academic career, but are they accurate
indicators of a student's academic abilities? Standardized tests are used to measure a student 's
academic abilities, and overall knowledge. In theory, a student 's skills can be determined by
examining the limited data collected from the test. However, standardized test do not fully represent
a student 's abilities, and cumulative knowledge. Many factors may affect the validity of the scores,
and the accuracy of the assessment. Instructor's teaching directly for the test, being able to guess on
multiple choice questions, examining only test scores, and ignoring other academic factors
contribute to the biased representation of students' academic abilities.
Because instructors are teaching directly for the test, the data collected may not be an accurate
representation of the student's true abilities. As standardized test grow in popularity among the
school system, the pressure to achieve high scores rapidly builds. The importance of high scores
goes beyond individual students' performances, and teacher evaluations. Serious repercussions
could result from poor scores, or performances. For example, "schools that continue to fail to
improve may be closed, and districts that continue to fail may be subject to state takeover" (Posner).
With the weight of the success of the school on their shoulders,

Public Education in Texas
Public Education In Texas
High quality education is a must in U.S. since it means that today's youth will be prepared with the
knowledge needed to tackle our nations issues. When looking from state to state, you will notice
how various states differ in how well they are able to educate students. Maryland was ranked
number one in the nation by having a high grade point average amongst students and an equally
high graduation rate. Texas on the other hand had the worst grade point average and graduation rate.
The reason for this is the amount of funding that goes into public schools. Maryland puts a lot of
funding into their public schools which helps raise grade point averages. Meanwhile Texas puts little
funding into public schools and ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
That view still stands today as many senators and representatives hold hold mainly conservative
views.
The conservative view of education extends to the parents of the students as well. Salaries for public
school teachers and administrators come primarily from state taxes which has been an issue for
them for years. School faculty has been fighting the state for years to have an increase in pay but
that would mean an increase in taxes as well. So when the parents of the students weigh in they
often side with the legislature since a pay raise for teachers would mean a raise in taxes for them.
This is sadly the same case for funding school equipment such as computers, books, playground
equipment, ect.. Since parents are unwilling to have their taxes raised to pay for all of that, our
schools will always fall behind, leaving teachers unable to properly teach our students.
Another challenge is how often Texas changes its statewide testing regiments. So far it has changed
four times over the past century, TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) was one of the
regiments lasting from 1999 to 2011. The system currently in use and that will end by next year is
the STARR exam (State of Texas Academic Readiness). The testing regiments change constantly
because they do not accurately gauge a students performance. Also the fact that the main goal of the
curriculum is religious and ideological control further hinders the academic performance of
students. For example,

Texas Essential Knowledge And Skills (TEKS)
Part I
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) The Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills also
known as TEKS are state standards that students should know and be able to do. (Texas Education
Agency, 1998) The TEKS cover each grade level and content from kindergarten to the 12th grade.
They are important because the students would be tested towards the end of the year over these
specific knowledge and skills that the teacher should have taught throughout the year.
Adaptations for Special Populations Subchapter BB Chapter 89 An English language learner is a
student who is developing or learning the English language and that has another language as their
native language. Any school who has 20 or more students who are bilingual students ... Show more
The students take the STAAR exam every year at the end of the school year, and it test them in the
academic content of reading, math, science, writing, social studies, and English. The students start
taking this assessment in the third grade and continuous to take them until they graduate from high
school. Every school year there are different content area that is being tested. The content area that
will be tested depends on the grade level of the student. The TELPAS is an assessment that
evaluates the progress that an English language learner is making every year. This assessment
includes the four language domains which are: speaking, listening, reading and writing. The
students begin taking this assessment in kinder until they are exited out of the program. The number
one recommendation the Mrs.Xxx would want to give to the novice teacher is for the teacher to
know the rules and procedures when administering these

Describe The Importance Of College-Readiness In College
More startling is the rate at which young adults who are Emotionally Disturbed are arrested. The
arrest rate in 2009 for persons who were Emotionally Disturbed was 60.5%, much higher than any
other disability category (Newman et al., 2010, 2011). Wagner et al. (2003) noted more than one
third of this population had been arrested at least once before leaving high school.
Specific to two groups in this study, students who were Emotionally Disturbed were
disproportionately disciplined in the 1999–2000 to the 2001–2002 school years and students with a
Learning Disability were disciplined more often than all students with disabilities during the same
time (Zhang, Katsiyannis, & Herbst, 2004). When analyzing the effects of disciplinary
consequences ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Conley (2007, 2008) defined college–readiness as students successfully making the transition from
high school to the college environment equipped to manage the demands of college without
remediation. To meet the needs of the global economy a vast range of skills are needed (Brand et al.,
2013). Conley (2007, 2008) described four key components upon which college–readiness is built:
(a) key cognitive knowledge, (b) key content knowledge, (c) academic behaviors, and (d) contextual
skills and knowledge. Cognitive knowledge consists of students having the capability to analyze,
interpret, and problem solve. With respect to content knowledge, students must have key content
knowledge to be considered college–ready (Conley, 2007, 2008). Academic behaviors are
noncognitive behaviors such as time management skills and study skills that require students to have
self–control in a college environment (Conley, 2007, 2008). For students with disabilities, focusing
on the noncognitive aspects of college–readiness is critical (Brand et al., 2013). Lastly, for students
to be college–ready and successful, they need contextual skills and knowledge to apply and
acculturate in the unknown world of college (Conley, 2007, 2008). However, as noted in Barnes and
Slate (2011), in the State of Texas, college–readiness indicators were specific to the following
standardized assessments: (a) Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, (b) SAT, and (c)

Texas Public School System Essay
In 1836, Texas won their independence from Mexico and one of the main reasons why is because
they wanted to establish public school system for education. The first public school establish in
Texas, Anglo–American, was in 1840. Five years later, Texas became an official state of America
and continues their development in public education for children.
Texas public school system have evolved over the past 150 years from developing more public
school throughout the state and also reforming laws to make the system more efficient. In 1915,
Texas enacts compulsory school attendance law.Compulsory education in the United States is
mandated by a complex system of state laws requiring attendance at either public schools or at some
other acceptable learning environment (Jones). This allows any children in Texas from the age of 6–
18 to attend any public school for free.
As public school system start to develop even farther, Texas started to require state test to help
student meet or exceed state standards as they proceed though grades levels. In 1970, the state
establishes the Texas Assessment of Basic Skills Exams (TABS) for students in grade school to
prepare them for ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Texas state exams have strengthen students educations level and also prepare them for higher–
level courses. This has helped the system a lot but it's also have some disadvantages. Providing
these exams is unfair to any children with a disabilities or a disadvantage in learning abilities. One
major milestone for Texas public school system in this issue was the No Child Left Behind Act. In
2001, President George W. Bush, former Texas governor, signs The No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
Act of 2001 proposes to close the achievement gap using accountability measures (Jones). This
provide all children with a fair and equal opportunity in school education. This have further
reformed the system and helped out any children in

Texas Education Standards
Texas Education Standards
The State Board of Education (SBOE) sets the policies and standards for Texas public schools. In
Texas the Texas Education Agency (TEA) oversees primary and secondary education of students.
The TEA helps provides the resources, guidance and leadership to help schools meet the educational
needs of all students, according to the TEA. The SBOE is composed of three committees; committee
on instruction, committee on school finance and a committee on school initiatives. The SBOE has
adopted curriculum standards called the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). The TEKS
describe what students should know and be able to do, in each grade and subject area.
The TEKS covers these subjects: English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies,
Languages Other Than English, Health Education, Physical Education, Fine Arts, Economics,
Technology Applications, Career Development, Spanish Language Arts, and Career and Technical
Education. The TEKS also covers elementary through the 12th grade. These standards are often up
for review, and SBOE nominates people to participate on the TEKS review committees. Currently,
the state is working ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Also the state assessment is built around the TEKS. The State of Texas Assessment of Academic
Readiness (STAAR) is the state's annual assessment and test reading, science, writing and social
studies. The STAAR test is a criterion–referenced test. The STAAR test does not cover all of the
subjects or grade levels of the TEKS standards that are set in Texas. Grades 3–8 are tested in
reading, math, writing, social studies and science. The state has also adopted end of course
assessments for high school students in English I, English II, Algebra I, Biology, and U.S. History.
Once testing is completed data is collected by the TEA, and posted on its website. Assessment
results are disaggregated by student backgrounds, district and

Improving Instructional Outcomes For Overall Effectiveness
Educators are faced with mounting pressures of accountability and the constant quest for
meaningful ways to identify various types of critical data sources, how to collect and analyze data
properly, and most importantly, at the core of educator focus, is how to use the data to improve
instructional outcomes for overall effectiveness (Monsaas & Engelhand, 1994; Wise, Lufkin, &
Roos, 1991; Lane & Stone, 2002; Wayman, Midgely, & Stringfield, 2006; Shen & Cooley, 2008). In
response to more rigorous accountability demands, educators are increasingly required to initiate
changes in instructional practices and to elevate student achievement (Wise et al., 1991; Monasasa
& Englehand, 1994; Halverson, Gregg, Prichett, & Thomas, 2005; Kerr, Marsh, ... Show more
administrators, coaches, and teachers), which is paramount in supporting gains in the academic
achievement of students. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (2009) signed into law by
President Barack Obama, clearly outlines the expectation for cultivating campus principals and
teachers through such techniques as coaching and data cultured professional development targeting
collection, analysis, and changes in instructional strategies for gains in student achievement. As
federal and state mandates increasingly define data use and building data capacity as a basis for
school improvement, many school districts are employing designated personnel to support
principals and teachers with data use and shifting instructional practices (Lachat & Smith, 2005;
Mangin & Stoelinga, 2008; Wayman & Cho, 2008; Wren & Vallejo, 2009; Marsh, McCombs, &
Martorell, 2010). The designated instructional leadership personnel are identified by various
monikers, such as Associate Principal, Academy Director, Dean of Academics, Deputy Principal, or
Instructional Assistant Principal, and Academic Dean; the latter is the moniker of particular interest.
The Academic Dean One of the earliest references to a designated instructional leadership position
in America is the Dean of Women, which was first established in 1913 in Chicago (Johnson, 1929).
In the 1920s, Academic Dean employment relied heavily on the principal and his or her
determination of the appropriate

Disadvantages Of High-Stakes Testing
In spite of critics, educational reform in Texas continued to rely on testing in an effort to meet
accountability required at the state level. Calls for accountability seem to usually rise from the
political community. When the political community demands that tests serve high–stakes
accountability functions, professional testing standards can be easily compromised. "In
accountability contexts, test results decide which students are retained in grade, held back from
graduation, and assigned to tracks or special classifications...high–stakes testing produces teaching
and testing practices that lead to inflated test scores and further disadvantage already disadvantaged
students," (Smith and Fey, 2000, p. 334). To call for ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Associations to which test specialists belong agree that the validity standard depends on the test's
context and it's used. A test may be validated for some uses and not others (Smith et al., 2000).
McDonnell (1997) found that the political community believed the benefits of the assessment policy
would outweigh any harm that might be caused by less than reliable or invalid tests. Some may
wonder why teaching to the test is not a good practice and a healthy basic skills emphasis. They may
even suggest that teaching to the test results is basic instruction even in the least advantaged
educational situations. Research indicates that there is little evidence to indicate that high–stakes
accountability testing and reform have had much impact on overall school performance beyond
increased scores on the individual test that was the instrument of the state policy (Mehrens, 1998).
Theory validity of TAAS fell short of professional standards in other ways: While Texas scores on
the math part of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) have risen dramatically–
the results, perhaps, of all that drill and test practice–Texas students made only small gains in the
NAEP reading test between 1992 and 1998, no gain what so ever between 1993 and 1996 on
nationally normed achievement tests in reading, and not much gain in other subjects...They have not
made much gain on the SAT, either (Schrag, 2000).Since 1999, Texas has begun to administer the
Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills exam and has continued to follow the high stakes
consequences for failing the tests at the 3, 6 and 10th grades. This current test battery has been said
to be more difficult than the earlier basic skills exams. One result of the wide use of exams to
measure student achievement has been the growth of alternative education. The website for the
Texas

Statewide Assessment Comparison Paper
(Salvia, Yesseldyke, & Bolt, 2013, p. 25). However, upon the enactment of several federal laws,
student with disabilities received access to free, appropriate public education which in turned
required students with disabilities to participate in statewide assessments. According to Public Law
94–142 (now included in IDEA), it requires an individual education program (IEP) for students with
disabilities. As part of the IEP, it contains items such as present levels of academic achievement and
functional performance, measurable annual goals, criteria of progress, special education and related
services as well as documenting any necessary accommodations needed for statewide assessments.
The author provides a comparison of statewide assessments including items such as participation,
accommodations and types of assessments between the states of Texas and Massachusetts.
Participation in Statewide Assessments
According to the Texas Education ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
An accommodation is considered standard when a change in the routine conditions under which
students take MCAS tests and does not alter what the test is intended to measure. MCAS defines a
nonstandard accommodation as an accommodation that changes the way an MCAS test is presented
or changes the way a student responds to test questions; and alters a portion of what the test is
intended to measure. Nonstandard accommodations, such as a test administrator reading aloud the
English Language Arts Reading Comprehension test, are intended for use by a very small number of
students with disabilities who meet certain

Bilingual Language Learners
The state of Texas has specific regulations for their Bilingual and English as a Second language
programs. These programs are a vital part of the Texas Education system as it supplies the
educational needs that students with limited proficiency in the English language need to be
successful. The TEC states that all English language learners will be provided with the opportunity
to participate in a bilingual or ESL education. In these programs, they will be taught though
instructional approaches that were specially created for the unique needs of English language
learners.
A school district is required to provide bilingual education if and when there are at least twenty or
more ELL students within the same grade level district wide. It is ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
ELLs in all grade levels are assessed annually, even students whose parents have declined ESL or
bilingual services (Making the ELPS, 2015, p. 5–6). They set detailed learning goals for ELLs, that
parents to be informed of their childs' progress in English development, and help monitor exit
program making decisions. The TELPAS have ratings for each language domain which also
includes an overall composite rating from beginner through advanced high. The language domains
are listening, reading, writing, and speaking, which are also rated from beginner to advanced high
(Making the ELPS, 2015, p. 8). According to the TEA, the TELPAS use two approaches to assess
students. One is an online multiple choice test that assess second though twelfth grade reading. The
other is a holistic process to determine listening, speaking, and writing in kinder through twelfth
grade (Making the ELPS, 2015, p. 9) The ELPS and the TELPAS go hand in hand, because the
TELPAS measures how well the EPLS were taught. The results from the TELPAS should align with
the ELPS proficiency level standards (Making the ELPS, 2015, p.

Changes In Education
In Texas, there has many changes with teaching and learning. Over the past years, there has been
many laws passed to try and initiate a change within the Texas school system had many laws passed
to try and imamate a change in our school systems. In 2002, former President George W. Bush
passed a law called No Child Left Behind. This law was similar to the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965. "The NCLB law which grew out of concern that the American education
system was no longer internationally competitive significantly increased the federal role in holding
schools responsible for the academic progress of all students" (Klein, 2017). This was to put a
special focus on ensuring that states and schools boost the performance of ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
TEA created a test blueprint and each year Pearson develops test items based on the objectives and
guidelines, and the TEA reviews those items (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, 2017)."
TEA reviewed the test results saw how the students were struggling to pass the tests, so they came
up with a different strategy and a different focus. In 2011, a new test was developed for students that
focused more on college and career goals. The STAAR will be used to test students from grade 3–
12. Like all the other test, the STAAR will focus on Math, Reading, Writing, English, Science and
Social Studies. "The majority of new STAAR assessments will test material students studied that
year" (Sabine ISD, 2012). "Also, for the first time since the state began its standardized testing
program, the tests will have a time limit" (Sabine ISD, 2012). "Unless a student is eligible for an
accommodation, each student will have four hours to complete each assessment" (Sabine ISD,
2012). Compared to the elementary and middle school level, there has been more changes in the
testing program at the high school level. "Under the TAKS program, students took two tests in ninth
grade and four tests in both 10th and 11th grade (Sabine ISD, 2012)". "A student was required to
pass the four exit–level tests given at 11th grade to graduate" (Sabine ISD, 2012). "This system will
be replaced with

Data Drives My Classroom Instruction
Data drives my classroom instruction. I have learned over the years that assessments comes in
various forms. When I began teaching, I thought assessments meant test, right or wrong, passing or
failing, pre and post. I never consider assessing students throughout the lessons, using rubrics,
creating portfolios in addition to formative and summative assessments. Once I learned to assess
students continuously, my teaching changed drastically. I was able to make adjustments to student's
learning immediately and mastery was reached. To begin, reliability and validity in teacher–
constructed assessments is crucial in assessing student achievement. Local and state test must be
reliable and valid in order to effectively measure student achievement. One way to ensure if
assessments are reliable and valid is a Table of Specification. The table of specification guides my
decisions based on how many days were spent teaching certain objectives which are ultimately what
is assessed. According to the Table of Specification, my instruction should align in a balanced
assessment with six lower level and six higher level questions. Three of my higher level questions
stem from one objective in which will be included into each daily lesson making this my most
heavily weighted objective. Students need a balance in instruction as well as assessments. "Linking
classroom assessments to tables of specifications also guarantees consistency and thoroughness"
(Guskey, 2005, p. 38). In the end, when

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