• Explanation of Assessments
    Testing is an important means of assessing students and comparing schools across the state for the effectiveness of instructional delivery and for determining necessary interventions to ensure that No Child is Left Behind. Please look for announcements that will be sent home prior to the test dates, to ensure that your child comes to school prepared to do his or her very best. HISD administers:
     
    Stanford 10
    The Stanford 10 is a norm-referenced achievement battery# It measures students' school achievement in reading, language arts, mathematics, science, and social science. Stanford 10 accesses skills based on the second half of a given school year and into the first half of the next school year.
     
    Aprenda 3
    Aprenda 3 is a norm-referenced achievement battery for students whose primary language of instruction is Spanish# It measures students' school achievement in reading, language arts, mathematics, science, and social science.
     
    State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR)
    Beginning in 2011-2012, TAKS will be replaced with a new testing program, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) in reading at grades 3-8; in writing at grades 4 and 7; in mathematics at grades 3-8; in science at grades 5 and 8; and social studies at grade 8# The majority of English Language Learners (ELL) will participate in STAAR in English or Spanish. Modified and alternate versions of STAAR assessments will be developed and aligned to the Texas Essential and Skills (TEKS) for Special Education Students.
     
    High Frequency Word Test
    This is a district-wide test administered in grades 1-2. This test measures the student's ability to read identified words from a list as well as in sentences. The High Frequency Words have been selected from the Most Frequent Words in Books for Beginner Readers and The Dolch Word List.
     
    TPRI and Tejas Lee
    TPRI and Tejas Lee are reading tests given to Kinder through 2nd grade. The TPRI (Texas Primary Reading Instrument) is a reading English test and Tejas Lee is the Bilingual reading test. They are given to each child individually by their classroom teacher. The test is used to determine each student's progress and which student needs extra help (reading intervention). These tests are given 3 times a year (September, January, April) for grades 1-3. Kindergarten only takes it twice (January, April).
     
    Kathy Richardson Math Assessments
    Kindergarten through 2nd grade will be giving Kathy Richardson Math Assessments. English and Bilingual students will be taking the same tests. These assessments are given to each child individually by their classroom teacher. These assessments are used to determine a child's progress and also, which students need extra help (math intervention). After the teachers work with the children who need extra help, the teacher will give the math assessment again. This continues until the child knows that particular skill and is ready to apply it in problem solving situations. These math assessments start with counting numbers and continue through addition and subtraction of 2 digit numbers. The students are required to know more than rote answers to problems. They have to explain their thinking to the teacher (how they got the answer).
     
    Texas English LanguagePproficiency Assessment System (TELPAS)
    Under No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Texas must assess English language learners annually in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The students begin participating in Kindergarten and stop participating when their language proficiency assessment committee (LPAC) determines that they are proficient in the English language.
     
    Teachers Common Assessments
    This type of test assesses what the child has been learning during a unit, chapter or section for the week such as a particular skill that the child was taught during the week. The test could be oral or written depending on what the teacher/grade level decides. For more information please contact your teacher for conferences times and refer to the student handbook.
     
    Field Test Sample Items
    Occassionally our students participate in field tests, which are used to test the validity of sample items. This instrument DOES NOT COUNT against the student.