AUSTIN, Texas—The Charles A. Dana Center at The University of Texas at Austin will host two events to help Texans prepare for the new statewide public school exam. The new test is called the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) exam and replaces the old TAAS exam, beginning in the spring of 2003. Both sessions are free and open to educators and the public.
The first event will be held in Austin from 1-5 p.m., Dec. 4, at the Thompson Conference Center, Room 1.110. A locator map is found at: www.utexas.edu/cee/tcc/pdffiles/map.pdf.
Dana Center representatives will demonstrate classroom and professional development resources designed to help K-12 mathematics and science educators prepare for the TAKS exam, which will be more rigorous and cover more subjects than the TAAS. Resources developed by the Dana Center that promote a safe science learning environment also will be showcased.
The TAKS exam is designed to help students meet the state’s curriculum standards, referred to as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
Dana Center resources designed to help with the new test include the:
- TEKS Trails professional development activity
- TAKS/TEKS charts in science and mathematics
- Algebra assessments (and associated professional development)
- Science laboratory safety calendar
- Science facilities manual.
Dana Center representatives also will discuss professional development options.
The Dana Center is a research unit of the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin dedicated to improving education in Texas. The Dana Center emphasizes mathematics and science education, offering professional development institutes as well as mathematics and science resources. In the 1990s, the Dana Center led the development of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills standards in mathematics and science.
For more information, contact Cindy Schneider at (512) 475-9713 or visit the Dana Center Web site. For more information about the TAKS exam, see: www.tea.state.tx.us/press/taks.html and www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment.
