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Assessment / Testing

ASSESSMENT / TESTING

Harmony Public Schools is committed to providing an educational system that will enable all students to reach their full potential. The Assessment Department shares this commitment by supporting a comprehensive assessment program which includes local, state and national assessments.

Testing Calendars:

2019-20 TEA Assessment Calendar

2019-20 HPS Assessment Calendar

State Assessment

Texas’ student assessment program is designed to measure the extent to which a student has learned and is able to apply the defined knowledge and skills at each tested grade or course level.

Texas has offered a statewide student assessment since 1980. In the spring of 2012, Texas students began taking the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR and STAAR EOC) exams. The state also offers the STAAR Alternate 2 assessment for students who have significant cognitive disabilities and are receiving special education services. In addition, the state offers the Texas English Language Proficiency System (TELPAS) and TELPAS Alternate assessments for our English Learner scholars.

STATE ASSESSMENT CALENDAR

STAAR Tests

As mandated by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), students in grades 3 through 12 are required to take part in the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness program. TEA implemented STAAR to fulfill requirements enacted by the Texas Legislature. STAAR is an assessment designed to measure the extent to which students have learned and are able to apply the knowledge and skills defined in the state-mandated curriculum, the TEKS. One important function of STAAR is to gauge how well schools and teachers are preparing their students academically. The test is specifically designed to measure individual student progress in relation to content that is directly tied to the TEKS. Every STAAR question is directly aligned to the TEKS currently in effect for the grade/subject or course being assessed.

STAAR for grades 3 through 8 assess the same subjects that were assessed by Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills. Students first enrolled in grade 9 or below in the 2011–12 school year are required to take the STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) Assessments for courses in which they are enrolled as part of their graduation requirements. Those students no longer take TAKS.

The STAAR EOC assessments test high school students for college readiness and produce performance labels that indicate a student’s mastery of the course’s standards. The EOC tests assess the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for a given course. In addition to passing courses, a score of satisfactory or above is required to graduate.

The STAAR program includes annual assessments for
Reading and mathematics grades 3 to 8
Writing grades 4 and 7
Science grades 5 and 8
Social studies grade 8

End-of-course assessments are offered for English I, English II, Algebra I, Biology and U.S History.

STAAR Spanish is also available for English Learners (ELs) in grades 3–5 for whom an assessment in Spanish provides the most appropriate measure of academic progress. STAAR Spanish is available in each subject area assessed by the English version.

STAAR is offered on paper and online in all grades and subjects. Districts may administer all grades and subjects of STAAR tests online to any or all of their students.

Parent Resources & Student State Testing Scores

You may access your child's state testing scores from the Texas Student Portal:

The Student Portal is a window in the Texas Assessment website that allows parents and students to view individual student results from the Texas state assessments. Enter the Unique Access Code and your student’s date of birth as provided on the student’s most recent Confidential Student Report and you will gain access to the assessment data in the Student Portal. If you have lost the last Confidential Student Report you may contact your child's campus for this information.

The Texas Education Agency maintains a broad database of assessment-related documents for students and parents, including explanations of test results: Assessment-related Documents: Explanation of Test Results.