Credit by Examination for Acceleration The University of Texas at Austin High School
Contact Information Heather Vaughn Coordinator of Advanced Academics 512.471.3693 heather.vaughn@austin.utexas.edu
Does your school or district accelerate gifted students? League of Women Voters, flickr CC
WHY ACCELERATE?
Research says Holding gifted students back can be more stressful for them than moving forward. Grade-skipping has aided social relationships. Single-subject acceleration has demonstrated significant academic growth. Acceleration has been a highly successful intervention technique with intellectually gifted learners. Bailey, S. (2004), Guidelines for Accelerated Progression Manual (2000), Robinson (2006)
Who is a Good Candidate? These are guidelines, not imperatives. A student that exhibits: Academic capacity above the placement class average Good physical health Social and emotional readiness Even if all expectations for acceleration have been met, the best educational interest of the student must be considered. Bailey, S. (2004), Guidelines for Accelerated Progression Manual (2000), Robinson (2006)
Guidelines for Responsible Acceleration Ideally, acceleration should occur at natural transition points. Acceleration cases should be arranged with a trial period of 6-9 weeks. Excessive expectations for grade advancement should be avoided. Acceleration decisions should be based on facts. Bailey, S. (2004), Guidelines for Accelerated Progression Manual (2000), Robinson (2006)
HOW CAN STUDENTS ACCELERATE?
Credit by Exam (CBE) According to Texas State Board of Education rules, school districts must offer examinations for acceleration at every grade level and for every subject area offered in grades K-12. To help schools serve this mandate, UT High School offers a wide array of exams. Students may advance to the next course once they have received credit from the district.
Credit by Exam (CBE) With approval from the local school district, students seeking placement credit in a subject area in which they have not received prior instruction may earn credit by passing these exams with a grade of 80% or above. Each exam has a three-hour time limit. Students may test with a local/ school proctor or arrange for an exam at the UT DEV Testing Center.
Creation of CBEs Developed and reviewed by highly qualified teachers Aligned with 100% TEKS Audited by content experts Annual audit results are reported to TEA
Exams Available Kindergarten-8 th grade Science Social Studies Language Arts Math
High School Exams Available CTE Business informa1on Management (A/B) ELA English 1 (A/B)* English 2 (A/B)* English 3 (A/B) English 4 (A/B) Fine Arts and Speech Art 1 (A/B) Communica1on Applica1ons *Credit Recovery Only
High School Exams Available Heath and PE (1 Semester Course) Health 1 PE 1A: Founda1ons of Personal Fitness PE 1B: Bowling/Cycling Bowling/Golf Bowling/Racquetball Cycling/Golf Cycling/Racquetball Golf/Racquetball Languages Other Than English French 1 (A/B) French 2 (A/B) Japanese 1 Japanese 2 Korean 1 Korean 2 Languages Other Than English Mandarin Chinese 1 (Tradi1onal) Mandarin Chinese 1 (Simplified) Mandarin Chinese 2 (Tradi1onal) Mandarin Chinese 2 (Simplified) Spanish 1 (A/B) Spanish 2 (A/B) Spanish 3 (A/B)
High School Exams Available Mathema1cs Algebra 1 (A/B)* Geometry (A/B) Algebra 2 (A/B) Pre- Calculus (A/B) Science Integrated Physics & Chemistry (A/B) Biology (A/B)* Chemistry (A/B) Physics (A/B) Environmental Systems (A/B) Social Studies & Economics World Geography Studies (A/B) World History Studies (A/B) U.S. History (A/B)* U.S. Government Economics *Credit Recovery Only
Exam Preparation Free, printable study guides on our website TEKS Format: (Number) Knowledge and Skill Statement (Letter) Student expectation TEKS Language: Including vs Such As Including references content that must be mastered Such as illustrates possible examples http://tea.texas.gov/curriculum/teks/
Example of Including Kindergarten Science TEKS (7) Earth and space. The student knows that the natural world includes earth materials. The student is expected to: (B) observe and describe physical properties of natural sources of water, including color and clarity
Example of Such As Kindergarten Science TEKS (3) Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student knows that information and critical thinking are used in scientific problem solving. The student is expected to: (B) make predictions based on observable patterns in nature such as the shapes of leaves
Example of Both Kindergarten Science TEKS (8) Earth and space. The student knows that there are recognizable patterns in the natural world and among objects in the sky. The student is expected to: (C) observe, describe, and illustrate objects in the sky such as the clouds, Moon, and stars, including the Sun.
Exam Preparation Released STAAR Exams Reading and Mathematics, grades 3 8 Writing at grades 4 and 7 Science at grades 5 and 8 Social Studies at grade 8 End-of-course assessments for English I, English II, Algebra I, Biology and U.S. History http://tea.texas.gov/student.assessment/staar/
Exam Preparation Reduce test anxiety Encourage students to review the study guide Assure students that the exam only determines what they know Teach students relaxation techniques
Who Awards Credit? Each district will determine acceptance of exam scores and grant credit. Local policy will determine the expectations and exam administration windows.
Example District Policy Klein ISD Elementary and Intermediate students may accelerate an entire grade level or one core course by taking Credit by Exam (CBE) and scoring 80 on the required assessments. Kindergarten and Grade 1 students must meet the state enrollment requirements before registering for Credit by Exam.
Example District Policy Klein ISD High School Credit Courses Students may earn credit for high school courses by scoring an 80 or above on a Credit by Exam (CBE). Students must not have prior instruction in the course they are attempting. Credit will be awarded for core high school courses after the student has successfully completed both semester exams.
Benefits of CBEs Rigor Exams are rigorous and relevant Developed by certified teachers Success Aligned with TEKS Shows mastery of material Access Allows students to take courses at their academic level Completion Can assist in early graduation
Concerns with CBEs K-8 th grade students advance to next grade level May lead to gaps in knowledge High School pass A but not B
Questions?
References Bailey, S., Chaffrey, G., Gross, M., Macleod, M., Merrick, C., & Targett, R. (2004). Types of acceleration and their effectiveness. Retrieved November 16, 2015, from http://www.davidsongifted.org/db/articles_id_10487.aspx Guidelines for Accelerated Progression Manual. (2000). Retrieved November 16, 2015, from http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/policies/gats/assets/pdf/ accel_guide.pdf Robinson, N. (2006). Duke TIP. Retrieved November 16, 2015, from https://tip.duke.edu/node/796