Credit By Exam Information (No Prior Instruction)

Exam for Acceleration/Credit by Examination – No Prior Instruction provides course credit for students who are enrolled in Brazos Independent School District and have no prior formal instruction in the grade level or course. Students must score 80% or higher to receive credit.

Credit By Exam Information (With Prior Instruction

K-5 The principal or designee or the attendance committee, as applicable, shall have authority to offer a student the opportunity to demonstrate mastery in a subject or to earn course credit by examination when the student has had prior instruction in a subject and when:

1. The student is enrolling in the District from a non-accredited school [see FD];

2. The student has failed a subject or course; or

3. The student has earned a passing grade in a subject or course but has failed to earn credit or a final grade because of excessive absences [see FEC].

The Board-approved examinations shall assess the student’s mastery of the essential knowledge and skills and shall be administered according to established District procedures. Prior to offering a student an opportunity to demonstrate mastery or earn credit by this method, an appropriate District employee shall review the student’s educational records to determine whether the student has had prior instruction in the subject or course.

Grades 6-12 In accordance with local policy, a student in any of grades 6–12 may be given credit for an academic subject in which he or she had some prior instruction if the student scores 70 percent on a criterion-referenced test approved by the board for the applicable course. 19 TAC 74.24(c)(12)

REGISTRATION FORMS ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CAMPUS COUNSELOR DURING THE REGISTRATION WINDOW.

Brazos ISD will use tests created by Texas Tech University

Review Materials: https://pol.tasb.org/Policy/Download/145?filename=EHDC(LEGAL).pdf

Registration Eligibility (Students must meet all eligibility requirements)

• Student is enrolled in Brazos ISD.*
• Elementary students must meet the state law age requirement—five years old by September 1st for Kindergarten, or six years old by September 1st for First Grade.
• Registration form is completed indicating grade level/subject for testing.
• School counselor must sign registration form to verify the student’s grade level and CBE eligibility.
• All registration forms must be received by the school counselor by the registration deadline.

* Kindergarten Registration begins April 2023 for Session 3 (May 8-12).  Students will also be allowed to register for Session 4 when the window opens May 15, 2023.  Please inquire about forms from the counselor after you have registered.

Score Requirements  

Kindergarten Score Requirements: Students must score a minimum of 80% on mathematics and the reading/language arts exams for advancement to first grade

Grades 1-5 Score Requirements: Students must score a minimum of 80% on each subject area of criterion-referenced tests that cover the essential knowledge and skills in reading/language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science for the grade level they wish to skip.

Middle School Test and Score Requirements (6-8): Middle School courses are awarded credit for the entire year. A student must earn a minimum score of 80 percent on the exam in a subject area to be awarded course credit. Scores of 80, or above will be recorded as the grade on the student’s academic achievement record and the student will receive regular/non-weighted course credit. Scores below 80 will not be recorded on the student’s permanent transcript.

High School Tests and Score Requirements (9-12): Students wishing to earn credit for a high school course will take tests created by the University of Texas Tech. 

• Passing score 80 % or higher with no prior instruction
• Passing score 70% of higher with prior instruction
• Credit for all courses earned with Credit by Exam will receive regular/non-weighted course credit.
• Credit by Exam reviews: https://www.depts.ttu.edu/k12/cbe/review/

• A student may not attempt to earn credit by examination for a specific high school course more than two times. If a student fails to earn credit by examination for a specific high school course before the beginning of the school year in which the student would ordinarily be required to enroll in that course in accordance with the district’s prescribed course sequence, the student must satisfactorily complete the course to receive credit for

Additional Information

• The district will not accept scores of testing completed outside of our district scheduled testing window without prior approval from the Department of Assessment.
• If the student meets the score requirements for a course, the scores must be recorded as the grade on the student’s transcript and regular/non-weighted course credit must be awarded to the student and calculated in the student’s GPA, whether the designation is with Prior Instruction (minimum standard: 70) or Without Prior Instruction (minimum standard: 80). 
• The student is only allowed two attempts at a course exam.
• All sessions are to test out of the following school year.
• The student’s classification as “No Prior Instruction” or “With Prior Instruction” may not be changed once the test is administered.
• A 'No Show' is considered an attempt for a CBE score.  Students who do not appear for their scheduled exam are not eligible to register for the same exam the same school year without district approval.
• Students will only be allowed to take one level, per session for any subject.  World Languages can test out of multiple levels.  The levels MUST be identified first.

2022-2023 Registration and Testing Dates:

If your child is enrolled at Brazos ISD, or If your child does not attend school but lives within the Brazos ISD boundaries and you wish to request a special education evaluation, please provide the written request to the campus principal or contact the Special Education Director, Katie Allison at 979-478-6016. 

Child Find Notice Brazos ISD

Brazos ISD provides special education services to children who have or are suspected of having a disability. Special education services are available to children with disabilities ages 3 through 21. Children who have impaired vision or hearing can receive services from birth through age 21. Services are also provided to students with disabilities attending a private school located within the boundaries of Brazos ISD, regardless of the child's place of residence. If your child attends a public, private, or home school in our district and you believe your child has or may have a disability, please contact Katie Allison, Director of Special Education at 979-478-6016. We will work with you to evaluate your child, determine if your child has a disability that qualifies under the law, and provide educational services to your child if he/she does qualify for services. Services are offered to your child free of charge.

504 Child Find Notice

Pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the District has a duty to identify, refer, evaluate and if eligible, provide a free, appropriate public education to disabled students.  For additional information about the rights of parents of eligible children, or for answers to any questions you might have about identification, evaluation and placement into Section 504 programs, please contact the District’s Section 504 Coordinator, Teresa Ressler by phone at 979-478-6070.

Documents

Gifted and Talented Handbook

Nomination Form- Accepted at each campus October 30-December 1. 

Gifted and Talented Referral Process:

Nomination Forms are available: October 30 -December 1.

Nomination Forms are due the last day before Winter Break. 

Gifted and Talented Testing and Evaluation will occur January- February.

Parents/Guardians will be notified by March 28 of the results of the testing and evaluation. 

Contacts

District Coordinator

Katie Allison, DIrector of Specialized Learning

979-478-6070

tressler@brazosisd.net

Campus Testing Coordinators

Brazos High School

Karen McMahon

979-478-6004

bnaseman@brazosisd.net

Brazos Middle School

Kimberly Hyatt

979-478-6044

kallison@brazosisd.net

Brazos Elementary

Stacy Hudgins

979-478-6033

lbrison@brazosid.net

Quantiles are part of STAAR scores. Parents and staff can sign up for an account to access resources at Quantiles Framework.

https://www.texasassessment.gov/staar-about