History

Starting with the 2002-2003 school year, state mandated assessments of student learning changed from the TAAS (Texas Assessment of Academic Skills) to the TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills). The name change reflected a change in the content and scope of the assessment. The test now encompasses more of the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills), attempts to  ask questions in more authentic ways, and assesses students at more grade levels.

Tested Grade Levels

¹  Beginning in 2005, students in Grade 12 must pass the Grade 11 (Exit level) TAKS to graduate.

² Beginning in 2003, students in Grade 3 must pass the TAKS reading to be promoted.

³ Beginning in 2005, students in Grade 5 must pass the TAKS reading and math to be promoted.

⁴  Beginning in 2008, students in Grade 8 must pass the TAKS reading and math to be promoted.

Content

Each course, K-12, has a set of essential knowledge and skills (TEKS) that students are expected to learn. The purpose of the TAKS is to determine whether the student has a level of proficiency in these items. Student assessment has increased in scope and difficulty, starting with the TEAMS, then TAAS, and now TAKS. There are booklets available through Texas Education Agency which list the TEKS that will be tested on the TAKS along with explanations and examples. These booklets may be ordered or downloaded from the the TAKS website by clicking on the icon below:

Although there is no TAKS test for numerous courses, such as Family and Consumer Science courses, all teachers are expected to support their students’ preparation for these tests by incorporating English, math, science, and social studies basic skills into their courses.