The Texas Commission on Next Generation Assessments and Accountability posted the final report to the Governor and Texas Legislature. This report contains nine recommendations, five considerations for further study, and a long-term vision statement for public education in Texas. Additionally, Appendix C lists membership on the commission with a biography and a statement of philosophy for student assessment and accountability if it was provided.
Summary of 9 Recommendations and 5 Considerations for Further Study
- Recommendation 1: Implement an individualized, integrated system of Texas designed state assessments using computerized-adaptive testing and instruction aligned with the state’s curriculum framework.
- Recommendation 2: Allow the commissioner of education to approve locally developed writing assessments.
- Recommendation 3: Support the continued streamlining of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
- Recommendation 4: Limit state testing to the readiness standards.
- Recommendation 5: Add college-readiness assessments to the indicators of the state’s accountability system in Domain IV (Postsecondary Readiness) indicators and recommend appropriate available funding for a broader administration of college-readiness tests.
- Recommendation 6: Align the state accountability system with ESSA requirements.
- Recommendation 7: Eliminate Domain IV from state accountability calculations for elementary schools. Recommendation 8: Place greater emphasis on student growth in Domains I–III in the state accountability system.
- Recommendation 9: Retain the individual graduation committee option for graduation as allowed under TEC, §28.0258.
Study 1: A study on how the next generation of Texas assessments can be aligned to a wide variety of postsecondary measures that help predict future academic and occupational success.
Study 2: A research study to explore the implications of replacing the current state-developed assessment system with nationally recognized assessments that align with the TEKS.
Study 3: Conduct a study on alternative, district-based assessment and accountability systems to encourage innovation.
Study 4: Conduct a study, using existing data, to test the relationship between the results of stratified, random sampling and whole-population testing.
Study 5: Conduct a study of the effect of weighting Domain I (Student Achievement) by the length of time a student has been enrolled in a Texas public school district.
