Assessment, Research and Evaluation Department
Mission and Purpose
The mission of the Assessment, Research and Evaluation Department is to serve the District and stakeholders by collecting, evaluating and disseminating information that allows for informed decision-making. One primary function of the department is to ensure that accurate, timely and relevant data are available to measure student achievement, guide differentiated instruction to meet all students' needs and promote institutional effectiveness.
A Comprehensive Assessment Program
Instructional decisions for GCISD students are guided by a variety of data gained through a comprehensive assessment program that spans from kindergarten through 12th grade. While in the District, students participate in a series of national, state, district and classroom assessments, all of which are carefully chosen to guide instructional decisions and promote growth. Nationally norm-referenced assessments taken by GCISD students include Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), Cognitive Abilities Tests (CogAT), Logramos, ReadiStep, PSAT, SAT, ACT and Advanced Placement exams. State assessments administered by the District include STAAR, STAAR-L, STAAR-M, STAAR-ALT, TAKS and TAKS-M and the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessments (TELPAS). Some students in the District also participate in exams for acceleration, math telescoping assessments, exams for course credit (i.e., credit by exam) and reading inventories (kindergarten - 2nd grade). All assessments administered in the district are used for formative purposes, in that they inform instruction.
Frequent informal, but intentional, classroom assessments selected and/or created by teachers guide day-to-day lessons and instruction. These checks for understanding are an integral part of the assessment program. For more information on using assessment results for formative purposes, see the link to Formative Assessments on the left.
Testing Highlights
- GCISD Students outperform the state of Texas on STAAR assessments from spring 2012. Last spring, students in 3-8 grade participated in the new STAAR assessment that replaced the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). The new STAAR test promises an increase in both rigor and complexity along with a new 4-hour time limit. Both the STAAR and STAAR End of Course (for current 9th and 10th graders) are in phase 1 of 3 phases of STAAR. Currently GCISD students and teachers are gearing up for the next round of STAAR to begin in April.
| GCISD | Texas |
| Met Level 2 | Met Level 3 | Met Level 2 | Met Level 3 |
| 3rd Grade Reading | 87% | 34% | 76% | 21% |
| 3rd Grade Math | 76% | 19% | 68% | 15% |
| 4th Grade Reading | 90% | 37% | 77% | 19% |
| 4th Grade Math | 75% | 17% | 68% | 13% |
| 4th Grade Writing | 86% | 18% | 71% | 7% |
| 5th Grade Reading | 89% | 28% | 77% | 17% |
| 5th Grade Math | 86% | 26% | 77% | 19% |
| 5th Grade Science | 85% | 19% | 73% | 12% |
| 6th Grade Reading | 90% | 35% | 75% | 17% |
| 6th Grade Math | 89% | 36% | 77% | 19% |
| 7th Grade Reading | 88% | 30% | 76% | 18% |
| 7th Grade Math | 77% | 9% | 71% | 11% |
| 7th Grade Writing | 87% | 17% | 71% | 7% |
| 8th Grade Reading | 91% | 39% | 80% | 19% |
| 8th Grade Math | 88% | 13% | 76% | 7% |
| 8th Grade Science | 83% | 21% | 70% | 12% |
| 8th Grade Social Studies | 80% | 25% | 59% | 12% |
STAAR EOC--
| GCISD | Texas |
| Met Level 2 | Met Level 3 | Met Level 2 | Met Level 3 |
| Algebra I | 94% | 34% | 83% | 17% |
| Reading | 93% | 17% | 68% | 8% |
| Writing | 88% | 9% | 55% | 3% |
| Biology | 87% | 11% | 87% | 9% |
| World Geography | 94% | 26% | 81% | 13% |
To learn more about STAAR, STAAR EOC and the phase-in standards please follow this link: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/student.assessment/staar/.
MAP Assessments
Students in grades 2-5 and seven participate in MAP testing three times a year -- September, January and May.
MAP assessments measure student achievement in reading, math and language usage.
The tests are computer-adaptive. That is, the computer software automatically selects items for students as they progress through the test. The difficulty of the items are a direct reflection of performance on previous items. As a result, tests are individually tailored for every student.
For more information, visit the District's MAP website for parents and students.
Other Testing and Exam Information
- Home-schooled students who live within the GCISD attendance area should contact one of the high schools to register for the PSAT or AP exams.
Texas Education Agency Links
