- Uplift Education
- Scholar Assessments
Scholar Assessments
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Uplift Education is proud of our system for determining your scholar’s learning level and developing a custom learning plan. We do that through assessment tests that your scholar takes throughout the year. Uplift scholars will be required to take assessments, and the resources below will help you understand and prepare your scholar to take the assessments.
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or comments regarding assessments your scholar takes throughout the school year. We are here to support you. Please email: AssessmentTeam@uplifteducation.org
Depending on your scholars grade level and subject they will take the following tests:
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PRIMARY SCHOOL (3rd-5th)
MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th -8th)
HIGH SCHOOL (9th - 12th)
STAAR
STAAR
STAAR end-of-course (EOC)
TELPAS*
TELPAS*
TELPAS* Common Assessment
Quarterly Benchmark
Quarterly Benchmark MAP MAP MAP *TELPAS: For scholars learning the English Language
*Middle school students enrolled in Alegra I will take the STAAR EOC.
Types of Tests & Assessments
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ACT
ACT is a mission-driven, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people achieve education and workplace success. Each year, ACT serves millions of students, job seekers, schools, government agencies, and employers in the US and worldwide with learning resources, assessments, research, and credentials designed to help them succeed from elementary school through careers. At Uplift, all 11th and 12th-grade scholars can take the ACT at their home campus in the Fall and Spring.
What is covered/tested through this assessment?
The ACT is divided into four multiple-choice subject tests and a Writing portion (offered only in the Spring). The four subjects for the multiple-choice sections are English, Math, Reading, and Science.
When do we take this test?
Uplift allows 11th and 12th-grade scholars to take the test during the school year.
Where will the test be taken?
Scholars will take the ACT at their home campus on their designated testing date.
Where should parents go to learn more?
To learn more about the ACT, visit the following link: Student and Parent Website
Why do we take this test?
Each October and March, Uplift Education allows 11th and 12th-grade scholars to take the ACT at no cost: each year, Uplift Education's college readiness percentage increases due to the score.
How do we use this testing information to inform instructional practice?
ACT scores can be used individually by scholars to see what areas they excel in and areas they need improvement in. Scholars can take the ACT multiple times to improve their score or develop a "Superscore." A "Superscore" is the average of the scholar's best scores in each testing category to create one score. A scholar's superscore is never lower than their composite score.
Why did we use this test?
ACT is a compilation of concepts scholars have learned throughout their secondary education. Scholars can increase their college readiness capability by taking the ACT at their Uplift campus. By administering the ACT, Uplift can potentially increase new or better scholarship opportunities for scholars and offer career and educational planning to all scholars.
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EOC Testing
The EOC assessment is a series of standards used to test scholars’ mastery of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for a given course and determine college and career readiness. These are required tests; all EOC assessments must be taken in person. According to TEA guidelines, scholars cannot take their EOC virtually.
Why the EOC test?
EOC measures how well scholars meet the grade level expectations in each subject determined by the Texas State Board of Education in partnership with educators. It is a cumulative test at the end of the year to allow teachers to see how much your child has learned, how ready your child is for the next grade level, and where he or she may need additional support to accelerate learning. We are required by state and federal mandates to test scholars each year.
Who is taking this test?
End-of-course (EOC) assessments for English I, II, Algebra I, Biology, and U.S. history.
When do scholars take this test?
EOC assessments are administered in spring, June, and December
How do I access my scholar's results?
EOC tests are given to scholars in regular classrooms at their school. You can access your scholar’s EOC scores in the Texas Assessment Student Portal
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MAP
MAPMeasures of Academic Progress (MAP) test adapts to your child’s responses to measure your child’s skill level. MAP Growth scores help teachers check student performance by measuring achievement and growth.
Teachers use results to tailor classroom lessons and set goals for students. Achievement is how well your child has learned skills in a subject compared to similar students nationwide.
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Network & Unit Assessments
Network/Unit assessments are given to examine the results to gauge overall learning and identify knowledge gaps in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.
Who is taking this test?
2nd- 12th grade.
When do scholars take this test?
Throughout the school year.
Why do scholars take this test?
Some goals of examining these assessments are to have educators discuss and analyze their plans for scholar success and an opportunity to look at what modifications need to be made during curriculum planning and classroom instruction before state and/or national assessments are given. They are also used to correct courses to ensure scholars master the necessary standards before state and/or national assessments are given.
How do we use this testing information to inform instructional practice?
Instructors can use the knowledge gap information to identify subject areas where they might need to devote additional instruction time. The data can also help instructors anticipate student skill gaps, helping them to sort their classes in ways that enhance individualized student learning.
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STAAR Alternate 2
The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) Alternate 2 is an alternate assessment based on alternate academic achievement standards. It is a standardized item-based assessment administered individually to eligible scholars with the most significant cognitive disabilities receiving special education services. STAAR Alternate 2 fulfills the requirements of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and Every Student Succeeds Act.
Who is taking this test?
A scholar's admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committee must determine if the scholar meets the participation requirements for STAAR Alternate 2. All scholars enrolled in Texas public schools and open-enrollment charter schools in grades 3–12 who meet the participation requirements must be in STAAR Alternate 2 at their enrolled grade level or course. It is available for the same grades/subjects and courses assessed by STAAR.
- Grade 3-Math and Reading
- Grade 4-Math and Reading
- Grade 5- Math, Reading, and Science
- Grade 6- Math and Reading
- Grade 7-Math and Reading
- Grade 8-Math, Reading, Science, and Social Studies
- EOC-Algebra I, English I, English II, Biology, and U.S. History
What is covered/tested through this assessment?
STAAR Alternate 2 is a paper assessment in mathematics, reading language arts (RLA), science, and social studies for scholars in grades 3–8 and high school.
When do we take this test?
The assessment is administered in the Spring.
How do we use this testing information to inform instructional practice?
To bridge the gap between the grade-level content and the learning styles of scholars with significant cognitive disabilities, attention was also given from the beginning to the principles of alignment and universal design, with special consideration given to scholars’ response modes and accommodations that allow them to access the content and show what they know and can do in everyday instruction.
Where will the test be taken? Where should parents go to learn more?
The teacher of record gives the test in the scholar's classroom within the testing window. For more information, parents can go to the website: https://tea.texas.gov/scholar-assessment/testing/staar-alternate/staar-alternate-2-resources
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STAAR Interim
State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) Interim Assessments are online assessments that align with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and help educators monitor student progress and predict student performance on STAAR. Interim assessment items include multiple-choice and non-multiple-choice questions. All questions on the interim assessments are field-tested on a STAAR test and are fully aligned to the TEKS.
Who is taking this test?
- Grades 3-8 Mathematics
- Grades 3-8 RLA
- Grades 5 & 8 Science
- Grade 8 Social Studies
- Algebra I, Biology, English I, English II, and US History EOC
When do we take this test?
Scholars take the STAAR Interim Assessments throughout the school year.
How do we use this testing information to inform instructional practice?
STAAR Interim assessments may be used to monitor academic improvement, especially for scholars performing below grade level.
Why did we use this test?
It is used to inform interventions by helping predict how scholars or groups of scholars will perform on STAAR summative assessments and to serve as a benchmarking instrument at the campus or district level.
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STARR Testing
The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) is a series of standardized used to test scholars’ mastery of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for a given course and determine college and career readiness. These are required tests; all STAAR assessments must be taken in person. According to TEA guidelines, scholars cannot take their STAAR virtually.
Why the STAAR test?
STAAR measures how well scholars meet the grade level expectations in each subject determined by the Texas State Board of Education in partnership with educators. It is a cumulative test at the end of the year to allow teachers to see how much your child has learned, how ready your child is for the next grade level, and where he or she may need additional support to accelerate learning. We are required by state and federal mandates to test scholars each year.
Who is taking this test?
The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) program, which was implemented in the spring of 2012, includes annual assessments for
- Reading and Mathematics, grades 3–8
- Science at grades 5 and 8
- Social Studies at grade 8
When do scholars take this test?
STAAR assessments are administered in the spring (April and May).
How do I access my scholar's results?
STAAR tests are given to scholars in regular classrooms at their school. You can access your scholar’s EOC scores in the Texas Assessment Student Portal
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TELPAS
Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) is an assessment program for scholars in Texas public schools who are learning the English language. TELPAS tests are designed to measure the progress that each English language learner makes in becoming proficient in the use of academic English. TELPAS fulfills ESSA requirements for assessing emergent bilingual (EB) scholars in kindergarten through grade 12 in four language domains: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
What is covered/tested through this assessment?
- Listening- the ability to understand spoken language, comprehend and extract information, and follow social and instructional discourse through which information is provided.
- Speaking- the ability to use spoken language appropriately and effectively in learning activities and social interactions.
- Reading- the ability to comprehend and interpret written text at the appropriate grade level.
- Writing- the ability to produce written text with content and format to fulfill grade-appropriate classroom assignments.
Who is taking this test?
Scholars in grades K-12 identified as emergent bilingual (EB) must take TELPAS. This includes EBs whose parents have declined bilingual or English as a Second Language (ESL) program services. They will stop participating in TELPAS when their language proficiency assessment committee (LPAC) determines that they are proficient in the English language and have met exit criteria. This applies to all EBs, even those not in a bilingual or ESL program. Once a scholar has met the state's exit criteria, they will no longer be identified as EB and will not have to participate in TELPAS.
Grades K–1 include holistically rated observational assessments of listening, speaking, reading, and writing
Grades 2–12 include online tests for:
- listening and speaking
- reading and writing
When do we take this test?
TELPAS is administered in the Spring.
Where will the test be taken?
TELPAS tests are given to scholars at their school in regular classrooms that have been cleared and set up to make it easy to focus on the test. If scholars have specific special needs and require special accommodation, they may be tested in a different area of the school.
How does each test build into individual learning plans?
Data from TELPAS can build individual learning plans by incorporating instructional strategies that will support the linguistic academic development of each scholar. Having ongoing, appropriately scaffolded speaking and writing opportunities during subject-area instruction is beneficial for all scholars but is particularly important for EB scholars. It allows EB scholars to verbalize, think through, and reinforce what they are learning regarding new subject matter and new English.
Where should parents go to learn more?
Every scholar participating in TELPAS receives a report card with their test results. TELPAS uses four proficiency ratings—Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, and Advanced High—to show scholars' progress in learning English from year to year. For scholars to reach their full academic potential, they must steadily progress in learning English. Your child's proficiency ratings in listening, speaking, reading, and writing will give you a good idea of their progress. Scholars who do not make steady progress may require additional assistance at school. For more information about the TELPAS report card, visit the Texas Assessment website: https://www.texasassessment.gov/telpas-score
Parent Resources
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The below resources will help you and your scholar prepare for tests as well as understand the test results.
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The below resources will help you and your scholar prepare for tests as well as understand the test results.
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The below resources will help you and your scholar prepare for tests as well as understand the test results.
