Part 2. TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY
Chapter 74. CURRICULUM REQUIREMENTS
Subchapter C. OTHER PROVISIONS
The State Board of Education (SBOE) adopts an amendment to §74.24, concerning credit by examination. The amendment is adopted without changes to the proposed text as published in the December 14, 2007, issue of the Texas Register (32 TexReg 9205) and will not be republished. The section establishes provisions relating to acceleration for primary school grade levels and credit for secondary school academic subjects. The adopted amendment requires an annual report by an outside auditor for examinations developed by The University of Texas at Austin and Texas Tech University. The audit is to review a subset of examinations to confirm alignment with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
General provisions in 19 TAC §74.24 include the option for school districts to administer examinations developed by Texas Tech University or The University of Texas at Austin for credit for secondary school academic subjects.
During the February 2007 meeting of the SBOE Committee on Instruction, the committee chair instructed Texas Education Agency (TEA) staff to send correspondence requesting that the two institutions provide the information necessary for review of each of their examinations used for credit by examination. Correspondence was sent to the institutions requesting the review. Staff members from both universities responded that the process for aligning the examinations with the TEKS is underway for some examinations and completed for others.
During the July 2007 committee meeting, public testimony raised additional concerns regarding the examinations. The committee chair asked staff to investigate the possibility of a third party review of the updated examinations. During the September 2007 meeting, the committee instructed staff to draft proposed changes to the rule for action at the November 2007 meeting that would require an annual report by an outside auditor to confirm TEKS alignment of a subset of examinations developed by The University of Texas at Austin and Texas Tech University.
During the November 2007 meeting, the SBOE approved for first reading and filing authorization a proposed amendment to §74.24 that would add language in subsection (a)(2) specifying that these two entities shall ensure that their assessments are aligned with the TEKS, arrange for a third-party audit of 20% of their assessments annually, and report the results of each audit to the TEA by May 31 of each year.
During the January 2008 meeting, the SBOE approved for second reading and final adoption the amendment to §74.24. The SBOE adopted the amendment with an effective date of September 1, 2008. The earliest the first audit results are due is May 2009, based on the effective date of the amendment.
Following is a summary of the public comment received and corresponding SBOE response regarding the proposed amendment.
Comment. A representative of the Texas Statewide Network of Assessment Professionals and Northside Independent School District expressed appreciation to the SBOE for the rule action requiring outside audits.
Response. The SBOE agrees.
The amendment is adopted under the Texas Education Code, §28.023, which authorizes the State Board of Education to establish guidelines by which a school district shall develop or select for board review examinations for acceleration for each primary school grade level and for credit for secondary school academic subjects.
The amendment implements the Texas Education Code, §28.023.
This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.
Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 28, 2008.
TRD-200800362
Cristina De La Fuente-Valadez
Director, Policy Coordination
Texas Education Agency
Effective date: September 1, 2008
Proposal publication date: December 14, 2007
For further information, please call: (512) 475-1497