Texas Assessment of Academic Skills

The TAAS, or Texas Assessment of Academic Skills, was the third standardized test used in Texas between 1991 and 2002, when it was replaced by the TAKS test from 2003 to 2013. It was used from grades 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11. Passing the Grade 11 level was required for graduation, but many opportunities for retesting were available. The implementation of the TAAS was the first time a state mandated exam was required to be passed for graduation. There were many alternative routes available for students unable to pass the TAAS.

The TAAS tested 3 areas of proficiency: reading, writing, and math. The math and reading sections consisted of multiple choice, while the writing section consisted of a series of prompts for which essays had to be written.

In A Content Analysis of Exit Level Mathematics on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills: Addressing the Issue of Instructional Decision-Making in Texas Jere Confrey and David Carrejo criticized the TAAS.[1]