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The federal No Child Left Behind Act puts a cap of 1 percent on the number of special education students who can be tested on an off-grade level test and still be counted as proficient for purposes of meeting adequate yearly progress (AYP). Only students who are significantly and cognitively disabled can be included in this group.

The TAKS-Alternate (TAKS-Alt) is an assessment currently being developed to meet federal requirements for these students. It is not a traditional paper assessment. Rather, it is an online tool that teachers will access to report the achievement of students with significant cognitive diabilities through activities directly linked to grade-level Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).

In 2007-08, TAKS-Alt will replace the locally determined alternate assessments (LDAA) for grades 3-9 reading; grades 3-10 and exit-level mathematics; grades 4 and 7 writing; grades 5, 8, 10, and exit -level science; grades 8, 10, and exit-level social studies; and grades 10 and exit-level English language arts. 

The TAKS-Alt will be fully implemented in 2008, at which time TEA may include the proficient scores of students who take TAKS-Alt, as long as the number of those proficient scores does not exceed 1 percent of all students in the grades assessed. The 1 percent cap does not restrict the number of students who may participate in TAKS-Alt, but the cap does restrict the number of students who may be counted toward AYP. 

In a letter dated April 28, 2006, TEA set out the criteria for students who can participate in TAKS-Alt:

Admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committees may decide that a student’s knowledge and skills can best be assessed with TAKS-Alt if the student meets all of the following participation criteria.

The student:

  • requires supports to access the general curriculum that may include assistance involving communication, response style, physical access, or daily living skills,
  • requires direct, intensive, individualized instruction in a variety of settings to accomplish the acquisition, maintenance and generalization of skills,
  • accesses and participates in the grade-level Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) through activities that focus on prerequisite skills,
  • demonstrates knowledge and skills routinely in class by methods other than paper and pencil tasks, and
  • demonstrates performance objectives that may include real life applications of the grade-level TEKS as appropriate to the student’s abilities and needs.

Additional information is available on the TEA Web site.