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Research Associates Aaron Kercheval and Sharon Newbill (2002) reported the key effective test preparation strategies included:

• Direct instruction in test-taking skills
• Extensive use of practice tests
• Instructional practice altered to mirror form and content of the proficiency tests
•  Intervention strategies to identify students needing help to pass proficiency tests Variety of intervention/remediation programs offered at variety of times during school day, and before/after school
• Intervention specialists hired or teachers reassigned or paid to conduct remediation programs
• Students recognized and rewarded for success (p. 37).

According to Douglas Reeves (2004), "Even if the state test is dominated by lower-level thinking skills and questions are posed in a multiple-choice format, the best preparation for such tests is not mindless testing drills, but extensive student writing, accompanied by thinking, analysis, and reasoning" (p. 92).

Emphasis on literacy was another key effective practice in improved school districts (Kercheval & Newbill, 2002). In other words, good instruction is the best test preparation!

TAKS-Accommodated

For students who need specific modifications to the test, such as larger font and fewer items on a page. It will use the same questions and passing standards as the TAKS for general-education students. It is available in Spanish.

The following TAKS-Accommodated grades and subjects will be tested this spring and included in this year's state accountability ratings:

Science: Grades five, eight, 10 and 11

Social studies: Grades eight, 10 and 11

English language arts: Grade 11

Mathematics: Grade 11

The TAKS-Accommodated will be available for all tests during the 2009-10 school year.

TAKS-Modified

Besides having a larger font and fewer items per page, it has fewer answer choices and simpler vocabulary and sentence structure. It is not available in Spanish. For the federal rating, only 2 percent of students in the district can be scored "proficient" on the TAKS-M; additional students who take the test will be counted as "non-proficient," said Criss Cloudt, TEA associate commissioner.

The TAKS-M will not be factored into state accountability ratings until 2009-10 at the earliest. It will be given in the following grades and subjects this spring:

Reading: Grades three-eight

English language arts: Grade 10

Mathematics: Grades three-eight and 10

Science: Grades five, eight and 10

TAKS-Alternate

For students with significant cognitive disabilities. Teachers will observe students as they complete activities that link to their grade-level curriculum.

Only 1 percent of a district's students can be scored "proficient" on the TAKS-Alt; additional students who take it will be rated "non-proficient." The test will not be factored into state accountability until 2009-10 at the earliest.

The test will be given to students in the following grades and subjects this spring:

Reading: Grades three-nine

Mathematics: Grades three-11

Writing: Grades four and seven

English language arts: Grades 10 and 11

Science: Grades five, eight, 10 and 11

Social studies: Grades eight, 10 and 11