TAKS Testing Schedule

Now that February has arrived it is time to look for the TAKS testing schedule. I found it at the TEA website on this page. This page lists TAKS testing calendars. You will want the schedule for the 2009-2010 school year.

Having looked at the schedule I see testing generally begins in March and ends in April. Teachers generally administer sample tests at school, but parents can also administer sample tests at home. This web page from the TEA lists previously administered TAKS tests and their answer keys. If you, as a parent, want to see how your child does on the test you can down-load a test and have your child take the test at home. You might email your child's teacher to avoid the same test at home that the teacher uses in class for preparation.

We all like to see our schools being Recognized or rated Exemplary by the TEA. Helping your child to do his or her best is one way to help your child's school achieve good ratings. It is also an enlightening experience to check your child's work on a TAKS test. One of the surprises you might get is how tricky the TAKS test can be, especially when there are two correct answers, and your child is supposed to guess which is more correct in the mind of the test writer.

Robert Canright