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Contact: Anthony de Bruyn, (512) 499-4363 Date: March 23, 2004 |
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UT System News Release |
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Website Offers Free Online Help for High School TAKS Test
AUSTIN – Thousands of high school juniors are taking the statewide TAKS test this spring, and they will have to pass it to graduate from high school. Thanks to a partnership between the state, the University of Texas System, and two private foundations, they can get free online help in preparing for the challenge.
The website, called TRACK (for TAKS Readiness and Core Knowledge), has been up and running for less than a month, but officials announced at a news conference Tuesday (March 23) that more than 14,000 people have already logged on, and visits to high schools around the state are planned to help spread the word.
The website, which features diagnostic tests and interactive learning materials, was developed by the UT System in consultation with the Texas Education Agency and high school and university teachers around the state. The project has been funded with grants from Houston Endowment Inc. and the Meadows Foundation.
“The UT System is delighted to be able to offer this website and its enormous depth of content to Texas students at no charge,” said Mark G. Yudof, chancellor of the UT System. “We have been able to develop TRACK because of the extraordinary generosity of Houston Endowment and the Meadows Foundation, and we are deeply grateful to them. The website is an important element in the UT System's broad efforts to support the K-12 education system as we work to help increase the number of college-bound high school graduates statewide.”
State Sen. Florence Shapiro, chair of the Senate Education Committee and co-sponsor of a bill last spring mandating a student diagnostic and assistance program such as the one provided by TRACK, also spoke at the news conference.
“When I passed Senate Bill 1108, one of my main goals was the online diagnostic assistance program to help students prepare for the 11th grade exit-level TAKS test,” Shapiro said. “I commend the Texas Education Agency and the UT System for their efforts in implementing the TRACK program. It is essential for this asset to be available to all students prior to next month's administration of the TAKS test.”
State Rep. Kent Grusendorf, chair of the House Higher Education Committee and also a co-sponsor of the bill, issued this statement: "I applaud the UT System for the launch of the TRACK program. By taking advantage of current technology, students and teachers can now use this valuable diagnostic tool as a resource to identify strengths and weaknesses in preparation for the exit-level TAKS tests."
Shirley Neely, commissioner of education at the Texas Education Agency, commented: “This online study guide is free, easy to access, and cutting edge. This entire effort is a true win-win situation.”
Yudof and other officials will be at Fox Tech High School in San Antonio on Wednesday to see a demonstration of the website. High school visits by UT System officials and others are also planned in Houston, Dallas, and McAllen.
The first administration of the 11th grade TAKS test was in February and covered English language arts. Tests in three other subject areas - math (algebra and geometry); science (biology and integrated physics and chemistry), and social studies - will be administered for the first time April 27-29. Students may take the test five times.
The TAKS test (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) was mandated by the Texas Legislature and replaces the previous standardized test, TAAS (Texas Assessment of Academic Skills).
TRACK is offered free of charge by the UT System through its centralized support system for online education, the UT TeleCampus. The site offers visitors the choice of going directly to an array of learning materials designed to meet TAKS objectives and student expectations, or to any of several diagnostic self-assessments in the four subject areas covered by the TAKS. Students taking the diagnostic self-assessments receive scores that they can print and keep for their reference. They can also select TRACK learning materials by TAKS objectives.
TRACK can be accessed at www.track.uttelecampus.org . Questions may be e-mailed to track@utsystem.edu . Answers to frequently asked questions are located on the site.
More information about the state standards for passing the TAKS test is available at the website of the Texas Education Agency at www.tea.state.tx.us |
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Background Materials |
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Presentation at the TRACK event in San Antonio (March 24, 2004)
The following additional web links may also be helpful to the news media: The University of Texas System Every Child, Every Advantage National Center for Educational Accountability
Biographies: State Rep. Kent Grusendorf, chair of the House Higher Education Committee Cyndi Taylor Krier, vice-chairman, The University of Texas System Board of Regents Shirley Neely, commissioner of education, Texas Education Agency State Sen. Florence Shapiro, chair of the Senate Education Committee Mark G. Yudof, chancellor, The University of Texas System
Related UT System news releases: Three University Systems Unite with Houston Endowment to Strengthen Teacher Education UT System Unveils Expanded Public School Initiative National Center for Educational Accountability Established to Achieve Excellence in Public Schools |
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The University of Texas System Office of Public
Affairs || 210 West 6th Street, Suite 2.100
Austin, Texas 78701 || p: (512) 499-4363 || f: (512) 499-4358 || email: adebruyn@utsystem.edu |
