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A new slate of tests (TAKS-Accommodated, TAKS-Alternate and TAKS-Modified) have replaced the State Developed Alternative Assessment (SDAA) and Locally Developed Alternate Assessment (LDAA) as follows:

TAKS-Accommodated (TAKS-A):  This test is for students receiving special education services for whom TAKS, even with allowable modifications, is not an appropriate assessment.  Students may only take TAKS-A tests at their enrolled grade level.

TEA TAKS-Alt FAQ

TAKS-Alternate (TAKS-Alt): Federal regulations under the NCLB Act put a cap of 1 percent on the number of special education students who can be assessed with alternate standards using an assessment that is linked to the grade-level curriculum through prerequisite skills, 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-Alt is administered in grades 3-9 reading; grades 3-10 and exit-level math; grades 4 and 7 writing; grades 5, 8, 10 and exit-level science; grades 8, 10 and exit-level social studies; and grade 10 and exit-level English language arts. TAKS-Alt is designed to measure the academic progress of students who meet participation requirements.

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.

TAKS-Modified (TAKS-M): Federal regulations under the NCLB also allow states and local school districts to count as proficient for purposes of AYP the scores of up to 2 percent of students who are assessed on modified achievement standards that are aligned with grade-level content standards. The TAKS-M is an assessment developed to meet federal requirements for these students.

Thus, between TAKS-Alt and TAKS-M, the scores of a total of 3 percent, or roughly 30 percent of a state’s student population who are tested on alternative modified achievement standards, can count as proficient for purposes of AYP.  

Reviewed:  10/08/08