Seliger Files Bill to Change TAKS
State Senator Kel Seliger recently filed Senate Bill 379 to eliminate the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test at the high school level and replace it with end-of-course exams.
According to a press release, Seliger recognizes that valuable classroom time is wasted reviewing previous grade levels and course material, and too much emphasis is placed on test-taking techniques. He considers this stressful for teachers and students and believes it takes away from time that could be spent focusing on course curriculum.
The bill would require an end-of-course exam in each of the four core subjects: math, science, social studies and English. Each exam would count for a portion of the student's overall course grade, to be determined by the district, and a cumulative mastery of each subject qualifies students for graduation in place of an exit exam. For purposes of graduation, a passing grade would be required for each subject as determined by averaging exam scores from the 9th, 10th, and 11th grades. Exams given in the senior year would only count toward the student's course grades for that level.