Assessments
Advanced Placement (AP) Tests:
Danbury ISD offers Advanced Placement courses in high school to high school students who are ready to engaged in college-level course content and rigorous academics. AP courses concentrate on providing students with rigorous college-level academic instruction by a College Board authorized AP teacher while preparing students for the AP exam associated with the course. These tests are developed by the College Board and cost approximately $98 per test. Teachers who teach AP courses attend specialized training. Students who score a three (3) or better can usually receive college credit for the course. Students should check with their counselor to see if the college or university they plan to attend will accept AP scores for college credit. An annual report of AP testing is provided to each campus that participates.
This is one of two nationally accepted college admissions test. Students must register for this test and pay a fee. Danbury High School is not a testing site, so students must register to test at another site as listed in the ACT Registration materials. Registration deadlines must be met and no refunds are available. Individual and campus reports are provided and national, state, and regional comparisons are available. Students’ annual performance on this test is figured in the supplemental indicator on the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) and on the School Report Card. To receive acknowledgement fifty percent of the students taking a college admissions test must score at least 24. Students’ scores on this test do not effect a campus’s rating.
Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB):
The ASVAB Career Exploration Program (ASVAB CEP) is a free program offered by the Department of Defense that consists of the ASVAB multiple aptitude test, Interest Self-Assessment, and Career Exploration Tools. Senate Bill (SB) 1843 (85th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2017) authorizes that each school year, school districts and open-enrollment charter school are required to provide students in grades 10 through 12 an opportunity to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test and consult with a military recruiter. School districts and open-enrollment charter schools must schedule the test during normal school hours and schedule the test at a time that limits conflict with extracurricular activities. Additionally, SB 1843 requires that school districts and open enrollment charter schools communicate the date, time and location of testing to students and their parent/guardians.
Credit by Exam (CBE):
Students enrolled in grades K – 12 with previous instruction in the course requested are eligible to gain credit by examination if they received at least a full semester of instruction in that course and score at least 80% on the exam. Written parent/guardian approval and school district representative recommendation are also required. On approval of the Attendance Review Committee (ARC), a student who has excessive absences may be permitted to earn or regain course credit lost due to absenteeism. Credit by Examination shall not be used to gain eligibility for participation in extracurricular activities but the grade does figure into grade point average (GPA). Exams are ordered through Texas Tech University or The University of Texas. Further information is available through campus counselors.
End of Course / STAAR Exams:
In spring 2012, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) replaced the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS).
The STAAR program includes annual assessments for:
- ELAR and Mathematics, grades 3–8
- Science, grades 5 and 8
- Social Studies, grade 8
- End-of-course assessments for English I, English II, Algebra I, Biology and U.S History.
Steps to Access Your Child's State Test Results
Examination for Acceleration:
Districts are required by state law to provide this testing. Students enrolled in grades K-12 with no previous instruction in the courses requested are eligible. A minimum score of 90% is required for passing. Additionally, written parental approval and school district recommendations are required. Costs associated with this testing are at district expense even though parents are required to make a refundable deposit prior to ordering the tests. If a student fails to show up for the testing, the deposit is not refunded. Any score for which credit is awarded will be recorded on the academic achievement record but no grade points will be awarded. Examinations are secured through Texas Tech University or The University of Texas, which also provides study guides. These guides can be obtained from Texas Tech University web site at http://www.dce.ttu.edu. or by phone 1-800-MY-COURSE (800-692-6877); study guides are also available at
The University of Texas web site at http://www.utexas.edu/ce/k16/cbe-ea/study-guides/ for tests purchased from that agency . If no credit is awarded, nothing will be recorded. Contact your campus counselor for more information regarding examination for acceleration.
Field Testing:
Texas Education Agency (TEA) student assessment division annually conducts field tests on required State assessments. Districts and classes are randomly selected and participation is mandatory. Scores for participating districts, schools, or students are not reported.
FITNESSGRAM:
FITNESSGRAM is a health-related fitness assessment tool for grades K-12. It uses criterion-referenced standards called the Healthy Fitness Zones which are based on age and gender and represent the basic levels for good health and fitness in children ages 5 - 17 years. Students are tested in grades 3-12 using FITNESSGRAM.
Gifted and Talented:
IDENTIFICATION AND NOMINATION PROCEDURES
Nominations for screening any Danbury student can be made by a parent/guardian, a teacher, an administrator, a peer, or the student. Nominations can be submitted any time during the year. Testing is completed in the spring semester each year.
ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES
Nominated students in Kindergarten and grades one through twelve require parental permission for testing. Assessment tools that are both quantitative as well as qualitative may include, but are not limited to the following: achievement tests, intelligence tests, creativity tests, behavioral checklists completed by teachers and parents, teacher nominations based on classroom observations, student/parent conferences, and available student work products. This information is combined with the most recent standardized test results from the student’s cumulative file and is kept confidential throughout the identification process.
Screening for all kindergarten students will be in late fall/early spring. Students may be recommended for testing based on the screening results, as well as persons listed above. Parents of students being considered further complete a checklist of gifted characteristics on their child. All information is recorded on a matrix and presented to the selection committee. This process for the Gifted and Talented Program is completed by March 1st. When needed, a translator is provided for English Learner (EL) students. Students nominated in grades one through eleven are screened and recommended for further consideration. Parents of students being tested complete a checklist of gifted characteristics on their child. All information is recorded on a matrix and presented to the selection committee. More information can be found on the parent page of the DISD website in the GT Handbook. Please contact your school counselor for further information.
Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT):
This test is administered to all 10th and 11th grade students at Danbury High School expense. The test is developed by the College Board and is considered to be a practice test for the SAT. National merit scholars in grade 11 are identified using the PSAT scores. Individual student and campus reports are provided.
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT):
This is one of two nationally accepted college admissions tests and is published and scored by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Students must register for this test and pay a fee. Danbury High School is not a testing site, so students must register to test at another site as listed in the College Board SAT Registration materials. Registration deadlines must be met and no refunds are available. Individual and campus reports are provided and national, state, and regional comparisons are available. Students’ annual performance on this test is figured in the supplemental indicator on the Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) and on the School Report Card. To receive acknowledgement fifty percent of the students taking a college admissions test must score 1110. Students’ scores on this test do not effect a campus rating.
Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS):
This system is used for every English Language Learner (ELL student) in Texas as a method to gauge their English proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing.
TSIA (Texas Success Initiative Assessment):
The TSI Assessment (TSIA) is part of the Texas Success Initiative enacted by the Texas State Legislature and designed to determine a student’s readiness for college-level coursework in the general areas of reading, writing, and mathematics. The TSIA is administered through the College Board’s Accuplacer digital platform. Universities, community colleges, school districts and high school campuses can request to administer the TSIA to students.