Quality improvement is a continuous, collaborative, proactive effort to evaluate programs and service deliveries, in order for organizations to ensure that their programs are achieving the desired results and meeting customer expectations. This paper will focus on the improvement of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) within the Texas School District as well as provide an as-is flow chart for the process to be analyzed. This paper will also describe the relationship of the process to the organizationÃÂÃÂs strategic plan and identify the internal and external customers who are impacted by this process.
Description and As-Is Flow ChartThe Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) requires students to choose and form answers to show his or her comprehension, skills, and understanding in each of the necessary academic learning requirements. The test consists of multiple choice, short answer questions as well as essay and problem solving questions. This test is timed and a student has a short time to complete.
Some guidelines have been created for those students who need special accommodations such as special needs students, non-English speaking students, and those students who may be on a 504 plan.
Classroom teachers and curriculum specialists created the test across the state of Texas. Two committees were also established at each grade level for reading, writing, history, and one for math. These committees helped to establish guidelines for the test and specifications of the Essential Academic Learning Requirements. Another committee was also established that went through each questions to ensure that there were no words or comments that a student or family may take to be offensive. The following is a flow chart of the process of the development process of the TAKS. Those students who need special accommodations, such as special needs students, instead of taking the test submit...